What Can Stop Novak Djokovic's Reign in 2012?

The answer to that question is iffy.

If Novak Djokovic, Lareus World 2011 Sportsman of the Year, keeps playing tennis at the level he currently exhibits, nothing can curtail his tenure atop tennis' mantel.

In other words, case closed on who is going to win most of the slams and most of the next-to-slams this year.

And although no one in sports stays supreme forever, none of Djokovic's top ATP competitors have shown that they can extend and reach his peak.

These days Djokovic has gotten into, and stays in, Rafael Nadal's and Roger Federer's heads. To wit: at the classic 2012 Australian Open final, Djokovic beat Rafael Nadal narrowly but confidently, adding to Nadal's mind mess.

There, one got the feeling that if the match took seven hours instead of six, Djokovic would have still been the victor.

That's what separates Djokovic today: No matter how difficult the match, he is the one who wins. He has a presently unparalleled all-court, shot-making resourcefulness.

Also, he's got a hard, hard attitude. He is the Serbian serpent with a racket, and the tennis world is his own private garden.

So what then could possibly stop his all-surface domination of tennis? Here are the three hypotheticals.

The Unexpected Opponent

Djokovic regularly whips the men's Top 10. But say, if a Bernard Tomic or a Juan Martin Del Potro suddenly breaks through Djokovic's veneer of invincibility at a prominent tournament, it could cause Djokovic to think and potentially unravel enough for his game to be punctured.

Andy Murray

Nadal and Roger Federer can't crack Djokovic, but Murray, under the new tutelage of Ivan Lendl, may acquire the iron focus he needs to die with Djokovic in a match and return from the dead in that same match, victorious over Djokovic. Murray needs to win Wimbledon to evince a nearness to Djokovic, given his slim chances at the French Open. 

The Ethereal Unknown

Should he sustain an injury, should a distracting controversy in his life occur, should he make faulty decisions about his tennis participation—any one of these things would benefit his competitors.

What's likely? Of the three factors, an Andy Murray breakthrough seems most sublime.

Murray, though, seemed too happy with hanging with Djokovic at the Australian. He succored his moral victory too much for someone bent on dethroning a tennis king. Thus, Ivan Lendl has a lot of work ahead of him in steeling Murray to the task.

In actuality, the outlook is bleak for all of Djokovic's foes. Intangible intervention may be their best hope for this tour season.