Australian Open 2012: 3 Reasons Roger Federer's Decline Will Continue

Roger Federer is arguably the greatest men's tennis player ever, and his 16 Grand Slam singles titles are more than any other male tennis player in the history of the sport.

However, Federer's career is on the decline, and it's unlikely he can overcome Father Time and better competition to win another Grand Slam in 2012, including this year's Australian Open.

Let's look at three reasons why Federer will continue to decline in 2012.

1) The competition is better

Not only is Spanish star Rafael Nadal a threat to beat Roger Federer on any surface, players such as world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and Britain's Andy Murray are elite talents that are younger and stronger than Federer.

Djokovic won three Grand Slam tournaments in 2011, including an amazing comeback at the US Open semifinal in August when he stunned Federer. That semifinal might have been Federer's best shot at a 17th title.

With players like Murray eager to win their first-ever Grand Slam, Federer has his work cut out for him this season.

2) At age 30, his skills are not what they used to be

Players in all sports seem to decline once they enter the wrong side of 30, and Federer is no exception. He doesn't have the same quickness, power in his serve or young body that he did when he dominated tennis for most of the early to mid-2000s.

Federer hasn't battled a ton of injuries since he keeps himself in fantastic shape, but when you start aging, keeping yourself in great shape becomes much harder.

3) Players don't fear Federer like they used to

Sort of like when Tiger Woods was in his prime, Federer was supremely confident and mentally strong at his best, and this aura of invincibility is often intimidating to opponents.

However, Federer's semifinal collapse in August to Djokovic showed that maybe the Swiss star is losing his mental edge over top players. Players know that Federer is not the dominant player he once was and that if they play well, Federer could be upset.

When opponents don't fear you, you become much more beatable.