Roger Federer: Why Fed-Ex Must Be Considered Australian Open 2012 Favorite

It is always shocking to see Roger Federer not labeled as the favorite in a Grand Slam, let alone a tournament. This Australian Open, however, has proven to be a grand opportunity for the Swiss with a major title drought.

The world No. 3 (which is a label that still seems to make tennis fans shaky) has been on a 20-plus match winning streak (minus the exhibition matches at Abu Dhabi that do not count in the records and the withdrawal of the Maestro due to a back strain) and has yet to drop a set this tournament.

Rafael Nadal has not lost a set, either, whilst Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have each succumbed to one set.

Does this mean Nole and Murray are more vulnerable? Yes, to some extent, although they are now used to losing sets and dealing with close matches. However, Roger has not lost a set because he has played so well and has had the best game formulas to defeat his opponents.

The one time he nearly lost a set (to Ivo Karlovic), he came up with the goods on set point and gained a mini-break immediately on the next point while closing out the opening set in style.

Sure, Roger should lose a set to his future competition, Juan Martin del Potro and Rafael Nadal.

This does not mean that he will not be able to shrug it off, though, and for the second time ever at this event since 2008 (when Plexicushion was instituted as the new court surface), Rog is actually playing appropriately to the conditions and is allowing the court to suit his game play.

The only other time he dealt well with this problem was when he won easily in 2010, and he clearly did not play as well as he could have in the 2009 entertaining final against his long-time rival of Nadal.

He is playing brilliant attacking tennis, taking the ball to his opponents on second serve returns and playing flawlessly with his immaculately-placed serve in the corners of the boxes.

His backhand is also visibly improved, which will prove to be a weapon in the coming matches.

At worst, hopefully Roger can at least make another Slam final that is not on red clay and prove why he is the favorite to win the title and still has the game to overtake the No. 1 ranking once more.