Wimbledon 2012: Breaking Down Strengths and Weaknesses of Top Stars

While there are a number of talented competitors at Wimbledon, the top three in the men's bracket are overwhelming favorites. Which one has what it takes to take home the crown?

Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have combined to win 28 of the last 29 Grand Slam tournaments. 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro is the only person besides the three to win a major title since 2005.

Each man brings his own personal style to the game and knows how to get the most of his own abilities. However, the shortcomings are what might cost any one of them a chance at another Wimbledon championship.

Here is a breakdown of each competitor.

Novak Djokovic

Strengths

He is currently ranked the No. 1 player in the world, and he has earned it with consistent dominance over the past year. The Serbian has won four of the past six Grand Slam titles, losing only on the clay courts of Roland Garros. 

On the court, Djokovic has a very aggressive style of play (which hurts him on clay), but he has an ability to cover a lot of ground. He also uses a terrific backhand to finish off points.

Djokovic seems to be at his best when returning the serve, winning 35 percent of his games in that situation in 2012. When facing a second serve, he wins a world-best 57 percent of points. 

Weaknesses

As well as he has played over the past year, Djokovic struggles at serving. He only hits 63 percent of his first serve and does not have great success even when the ball is in play.

Compared to his peers, he has very few aces and often seems happy just to get the ball to a volley.

Djokovic is one of the best at breaking his opponents, but he still needs to improve his serve to be truly dominant.

Rafael Nadal

Strengths

If it were not for the breakthrough year of Djokovic, Nadal could be having one of the best runs in the history of tennis. He has won five of the last nine major championships and lost in the finals to the Djoker in three of them.

He is possibly the best clay player of all time, but he has still had success on grass with two Wimbledon titles.

Like Djokovic, his success comes from his ability to return serves. He has the highest winning percentage in return games at 39 percent, mainly because when he has a chance to finish someone off, he does.

Nadal's defensive ability allows him to take some of the best shots in the world and send them back. 

Weaknesses

Nadal struggles a little to get the first serve in play, although that rarely costs him.

The Spanish native has to change his style from court to court. The clay allows him to stay behind the baseline and remain defensive and wait for the opponent to make a mistake, a tactic that does not work as well on grass.

Finally, Djokovic has the advantage of winning in the finals of the last three Grand Slam tournaments not on clay. Everyone knows Nadal has the advantage at the French Open, but he is in a position where he must prove that he is better than all surfaces.

The pressure might hurt his chances in a final.

Roger Federer

Strengths

Federer's primary advantage in a tournament like this is his experience, especially at Wimbledon. He has the most Grand Slam victories of all time, and six of those titles came at the All England Club.

The veteran is not afraid to come up to the net to volley and finish off an opponent with a great forehand shot, but unlike most others, he can retreat back to the baseline to recover.

He also still has one of the best serves in the sport. Federer has the fourth-most aces in 2012, and that has helped him win 91 percent of the games he serves.

Weaknesses

After an incredible seven-year run on top of the sport, Federer has not won a Grand Slam title in over two years.

There is no denying he lost a step or two, and it hurts his ability to cover the entire court. He also does not have the same strength on his backhand that he once did.

His ability on grass also does not strike fear into opponents like it once did. After losing once on the surface from 2003 to 2009, he only has a 16-4 record since. He even loss to Tommy Haas earlier this month at Halle.

It will be tough for Federer to regain his form and return to the top of the tennis world, but he still has the ability to win at least one more championship on his favorite surface.