London Games 2012: 5 Reasons Novak Djokovic Will Struggle at Olympics

After his disappointing play at the French Open, Novak Djokovic is looking to rebound at the All England Club. He has a few tournaments to prepare before the London games to get his swagger back.

However, it will not be easy for the No. 1 seed. With several players becoming hot as of late, Djokovic will have a tough test ahead of him.

His inconsistent play at Roland Garros showcased that he is vulnerable and that the gold medal is not a guarantee.

Here are some reasons why the Men's No. 1 player will have long road between him and the top of the podium at the 2012 London Olympics.

Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal blew everyone away at the French Open. He did not drop a single set until the final, which coincidentally was against Djokovic.

The two-time former Wimbledon champion is out to prove that he is ready to restore his tennis domination. Since March, Nadal has won 24 times and lost only twice.

Rafa has had Djokovic's number recently, and look for him to put up another impressive campaign for the gold and to keep the No. 1 seed off of the top of the podium.

Dangerous Outsiders

Outside of Nadal and Roger Federer, there are several other players Djokovic should keep his eye on.

Players such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, David Ferrer, Tommy Haas and Nicolas Mahut are all experienced veterans who are capable of springing an upset.

Young players such as John Isner, Milos Raonic and Andreas Seppi will look to make a giant leap and prove they can hang with the big names.

Djokovic was pushed to back-to-back five set matches during the French Open, dropping three of the first four sets in both matches and showing that he is capable of defeat.

In the Olympics, anything can happen, and at any moment Djokovic can slip and one of the wily veterans or new class of rising stars can enter the big stage. 

Variable Conditions

Due to the living grass surface, the courts of the All England Club will start out fast and slippery. As the play goes on longer and longer, the courts become slower and harder.

Djokovic plays much better on a faster surface, so look for him to get his struggles out early.

The often changing and sporadic weather of England also plays a factor. Djokovic showed that rain delays can impact his play, and look for that to not change in the Olympics.

Inconsistent Play

As he has shown, clay surfaces are not Djokovic's strong suit. Lucky for him, the All England Club is grass.

Not so lucky, the grass court is similar to clay in that it is soft, slippery and slow.

Djokovic plays with lots of top spin, and on a slower court his over-aggressive shots will go out and his under-aggressive shots will be taken advantage of by his opponents.

With this inconsistent play, Djokovic struggles to dictate and control the flow of the game. He has been creating too many unforced errors, which is what allows his opponents to stay around from match to match.

Questionable Mental Game

Djokovic is known on tour for being one of the most mentally tough players.

However, he has shown that even he can crack.

In two tournaments this year, including the French Open final, Djokovic has double-faulted on match point. After winning eight straight games and forcing the King of Clay, Rafael Nadal, to drop his first set at Roland Garros, Djokovic came out of the rain delay and never had the same spark.

Djokovic has let his emotion get the best of him lately. Add the pressure of the Olympic games and see if Djokovic will be able to hold it together.