French Open Tennis 2012: Why Novak Djokovic Is a Lock for Slam Title

Novak Djokovic will finally shine on the clay courts of Roland Garros this June to win the first French Open title of his career.

The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that the Serbian star hasn't reached the final of, but Djokovic is coming into Paris this year on one of the best Grand Slam runs in recent history.

If Djokovic wins the French Open this year, he will have won his fourth straight Grand Slam tournament, which would be a remarkable accomplishment with so many quality opponents in tennis right now such as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Federer and Nadal have done well in the some of the non-Grand Slam events recently, but Nadal hasn't won a Grand Slam singles title since the French Open last year and Federer hasn't won one since the 2010 Australian Open. Djokovic has been the star of Grand Slams since the start of last year.

Djokovic's serve is really powerful, and it's a part of his game that he can use to his advantage when he gets in trouble. He also has improved his back hand tremendously since his victory at the 2011 Australian Open.

But for all the strong physical skills Djokovic has, it's the mental part of his game that has grown the most over the last year.

He's now able to keep his composure in high-pressure Grand Slam situations and tough through any adversity that he faces.

This has allowed him to win matches he would have lost before his Grand Slam run because he would have folded under the pressure to succeed.

With Djokovic proving he can raise his game in Grand Slam tournaments and handle the expectations that come with playing at that level, expect him to overcome his previous struggles at Roland Garros and finally add the French Open to his resume this year.

It's Djokovic's time to shine in Paris.

Follow @NicholasGoss35