Australian Open 2012: Roger Federer Will Cement Legacy as Best Men's Player Ever

Roger Federer will defeat Rafael Nadal in the semifinal on Friday and go on to win the the 2012 Australian Open regardless of who opposes him in the final.

It's a bold prediction, but judging by how well the Swiss star has played in Melbourne this month, it's certainly not crazy to think he he can win this year's tournament.

After cruising through the first three rounds with extreme ease, Federer defeated rising 19-year-old star Bernard Tomic in the fourth round in straight sets before ousting Juan Martin del Potro in the quarterfinal in another straight-set victory.

Federer looks as good as he has in a long time, and the determined look in his eye shows you he's not done winning Grand Slam titles.

After a heart-breaking defeat to Novak Djokovic in the semifinal of the US Open in August, Federer has been focused on regaining his Grand Slam-winning form. Allowing Djokovic to rally and defeat him was hard for Federer to take, but the loss might have made him more determined to succeed than ever.

As Federer readies himself for another thrilling chapter in his rivalry against Nadal, there is much more at stake than not allowing the Spaniard's head-to-head dominance in this matchup continue.

Federer likely wants another shot at Djokovic so he can avenge his loss in New York back in August. We know that at age 30 Federer won't dominate for many more years, and he hasn't won a Grand Slam singles tournament since the 2010 Australian Open.

Federer will relish this challenge of beating his arch-rival and defeat Nadal en route to another final, which he will win no matter who his opponent is.

Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion, especially when that player is someone like Federer, who has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any men's player in tennis history.

When Federer wins this year's Australian Open, he will cement himself as the best men's player ever.