Wimbledon 2012: Everything You Need to Know for This Year's Action

Wimbledon 2012 is upon us. 

The two weeks of world-class tennis simply known as the fortnight, Wimbledon will feature the sport's very best on the brightest and most legendary of stages

The annual London Grand Slam promises to shake up the rankings, mix up emotions and make or break a few careers.

Without further ado, here is everything you need to know for this year's action at the All England Club.

It's Nole, Rafa, Fed and Then Everyone Else

On the men's side at Wimbledon 2012, it boils down to top-ranked tennis stars Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. It's simple: If your money isn't on one of those Wimbledon champions, then you're going to lose. 

Sure, world No. 4 Andy Murray always plays the grass-court tough and will be there in the end, but he lacks the combination of talent and composure necessary to defeat Nadal or Djokovic on Centre Court.

As for Fed, we will need to see what the 16-time Grand Slam champion is made of this summer, as he has gone more than two years without winning a major tournament. Federer's last two trips to Wimbledon have resulted in quarterfinal knockouts, but he is a six-time champion of the All England Club, so don't count him out just yet. 

Who Will Step Up in the Ladies' Draw?

Surprisingly in comparison to the men's game, there have been six different winners in the last six Grand Slam tournaments on the women's side. Current world No. 1, Maria Sharapova is coming off an impressive victory at the French Open two weeks ago. She last won it all at Wimbledon in 2004 and is seen by many as the favorite heading in.

Petra Kvitova, world No. 4, is the defending Wimbledon champion but has struggled to remain consistent since her triumph at the All England Club last summer. Her game translates beautifully to grass, but can she outlast a challenging field?

World No. 2 Victoria Azarenka is looking for her second career Grand Slam championship after shocking Sharapova and the tennis world at the 2012 Australian Open last January. 

In addition to those three, American Serena Williams will be someone to watch for among the women's favorites. Williams is seeded sixth heading into the fortnight and has won at Wimbledon four times during her prolific career. At age 30, she could either use her experience to make a run at the title or blame her age for an early-round defeat. 

Follow Patrick Clarke on Twitter for more on the 2012 Wimbledon Championships.