Roger Federer: Why Fed-Ex Won't Win Another Grand Slam Championship

If Roger Federer has proven one thing over the course of his career, it's that he's an outright winner that knows a thing or two about winning Grand Slams. The 16 wins for his career put him in the books as the all-time leader.

Coming into the 2012 Australian Open as the No. 3 player in the world, Fed-Ex stands no chance against the vast number of players with the potential to win this Grand Slam.

Some of the competition that has a greater shot at winning this tourney is already off to a strong start.

No. 2-ranked Rafael Nadal took his opening match in straight sets, giving up just six games, while possible contenders like Mardy Fish and Tomas Berdych have also played solid tennis to begin this year's tournament.

Then of course, there is still left to consider that Novak Djokovic will be a heavy favorite to start out this 2012 Australian Open.

Djokovic is not only coming off the best season of his career- which featured three Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open and the Australian Open- but has also managed to stay in tip-top shape and healthy throughout the course of the 2011 campaign.

Coming into the Aussie Open fresh and playing the best tennis of his career, it's difficult to believe that Federer has what it takes to take apart Djokovic on this stage.

Outside of Djokovic, it is almost certain that Federer will have a difficult time being able to defeat Nadal, Andy Murray, and even a talent like David Ferrer (No. 5) who made it to last year's semifinals.

The other factor will be the health of Fed in the 2012 Australian Open. At the tournament in Doha several weeks ago, Federer couldn't push through injury. He had to pull out of play with continued soreness in his back.

According to Sports Illustrated, Federer has made clear he is 100 percent ready to go in this one. Yet given the untimeliness of the injury suffered, there is no telling when it might come back to haunt him in the next several rounds of play.

Given the countless number of strong, top-notch contenders in this year's tournament, how those contenders have played, and the possibility that injury will slow down Fed in the later stages, there is no doubt that Fed-Ex doesn't have a chance at winning No. 17 at the 2012 Australian Open.