Australian Open 2012 Results: Nadal's Loss Proves Djokovic Will Dominate 2012

You can mark it down, Novak Djokovic will rule 2012 the same way he ruled 2011. The dominance will extend beyond that, especially if Rafael Nadal is to be his primary competition. 

This was a crucial match in the Nadal-Djokovic rivalry. It was a chance for a healthy Nadal to best Djokovic in a Grand Slam. For the seventh time in a row, Djokovic was better than Nadal. Three of those wins have come at Grand Slam events and 10 of 12 overall have seen Djokovic victorious. Nadal still owns the advantage in their career series, but it is a slim 16-14 edge.

Djokovic now owns a psychological advantage over Nadal. Even a player as great and confident as Rafa has to be asking himself, "Can I still beat him?"

Looking down the road in 2012, the only tournament that it would seem Nadal has an advantage in is the French Open because of the clay court surface. Nadal is still considered the world's best clay court player.

He is 231-18 on clay with 32 singles titles. Nadal is 3-0 against Djokovic at Rolland Garros, but even that advantage is in doubt because they haven't played each other there since 2008, and Djokovic is clearly a better player now than he was then. 

Djokovic's rise began last year when he went 70-6 overall and ascended to the number one ranking in the world. That is a far cry from the player Nadal beat in straight sets on the French clay almost four years ago.

Djokovic is the unquestioned best player in the world and his worthy challengers are diminishing. Roger Federer is fading because of age (30 years old, Djokovic is 24 and Nadal is 25). Andy Murray isn't quite on Djokovic's level (evidenced by his five set loss to Djokovic in the Aussie semi-final), so that leaves Nadal.

But now more than ever, it seems Djokovic owns him. There is no reason to believe that Nadal will suddenly be able to turn the tables in this rivalry. Both of their games have developed and they both are in their physical primes. There are no new tricks or strategies to learn, each man knows what the other will bring, Djokovic is simply better. 

It happens to every tennis great, their era of dominance is usually ushered out by the emergence of another star.

It happened to Ivan Lendl with Pete Sampras, it happened to Federer with Nadal. Now it is happening to Nadal.

This is clearly Djokovic's time.