2012 Olympic Tennis: Who Will See Success in London?

Ask any professional tennis player, and they will probably tell you that excluding Grand Slam titles, winning a medal in the Olympics is the most coveted and sought-after achievement in the sport. Players dream of earning the gold and feeling the undying admiration of their nation.

Who will emerge victorious this year? As the stage is beginning to set for the 2012 Summer Olympics, it is never too early to preview the top contenders for the tennis event. 

This year's location should be advantageous to certain competitors. The Olympics are being held in London, which leads the tennis competition to the legendary Wimbledon complex, just a few short months after the Slam event ends there. 

The Men

The use of grass courts this year turns our heads immediately towards the the No. 3 player in the world (and possible GOAT), Roger Federer.

The Swiss Maestro is famous for his phenomenal play on all surfaces, but grass is arguably his best—he is currently second on the all-time list for most Wimbledon singles titles (6, behind Sampras' 7).  His titles at Rotterdam, Dubai, and Indian Wells to start the 2012 season give his fans further reason to believe that he has the potential to shine in London this summer, even at his relatively old age of 30.

Also prominent when considering the men who benefit from the venue is current world No. 4 Andy Murray. Being British, Andy will obviously have a strong portion of the crowd on his side at the event, which can really make a difference in a competition famous for nationalism. Many fans of the sport are confident that 2012 will be the time for him to prove himself against his three superiors, and success in London would do just that.

Having stated these advantages, it is important to note that these two men are by no means the clear front runners for the contest. Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal sit atop the ATP rankings for now, and although that could change between now and August, it likely won't. With that in mind, it would be far from surprising to see them duking it out in the finals. 

As far as Dark Horses go, watch out for some other top 10 players to make noise in London, including the always-threatening Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and the rising John Isner. Juan Martin Del Potro (currently No. 11 in the world) may also be an obstacle for the top players, as well as up-and-coming stars Milos Raonic and Bernard Tomic.

The Women:

The Wimbledon venue doesn't provide strong advantages for the women's event. Venus and Serena Williams have been the dominant players at Wimbledon in recent years, so they will be as close to their comfort zones as possible.

However, "comfort" isn't a term used commonly to describe recent play by the twins—riddled with injuries, illness, and old age, neither of them competes strongly when put up against the game's top players.

Most likely, the player who benefits the most from the location will be whoever wins the Slam event earlier in the summer. If current world No. 3 Petra Kvitova wins a second straight title, she will be more than happy to reenter the venue come August.

On the other hand, if Maria Sharapova wins her second title there, Victoria Azarenka wins her first, or Caroline Wozniacki finally wins a Grand Slam, they will enjoy the grassy stage of the Olympic event.

It's hard to call any women inside the Top 10 a dark horse in the modern game, because anything is possible going into each major tournament. Most of the women at the top of the rankings will have a solid chance at taking home the gold medal, including those mentioned above, Na Li, and Agnieszka Radwanska.

No matter what the outcome of the 2012 London Olympics tennis event, it is sure to be an entertaining two weeks. The Wimbledon venue and the intensity of the competition will certainly make it a year to remember in Olympic tennis history.