Wimbledon 2012 Semifinals: A Loss to Novak Djokovic Proves Roger Federer Is Done

If Roger Federer fails to overcome defending Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic when these two meet in the semifinals, then Federer is done as one of the top players in tennis.

Federer and Djokovic have met in Grand Slam semifinals five times now in the past two years.  While Federer has the lead when comparing the overall matches that these two have faced off in, 14-12, Djokovic has won six of their last seven matches, including their match at the French Open last month.

Let’s not forget that it's been awhile since Federer has won at Wimbledon.  The last time he did win was back in 2009.  He lost in the quarterfinals in 2010, and he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in 2011.

Clearly Federer hasn’t been the top player for quite some time now.

Maybe Wimbledon just isn't for Federer anymore.  You could make that argument if Fed-ex hadn't lost to Djokovic at the French Open or lost to Rafael Nadal at this year’s Australian Open.

There was also the more recent loss to Tommy Haas in the finals of the Gerry Weber Open.

The last time Federer won a Grand Slam event was back in 2010, when he won the Australian Open.

Federer is currently ranked third in the world behind Djokovic and Nadal.

While Nadal failed to make it into the semifinals round at this year’s Wimbledon, if Federer fails to pull off the win against Djokovic at Wimbledon, how can we consider him the top player he once was?

Federer has struggled against both Nadal and Djokovic.  Both men have been the main reasons why we haven't seen Federer win a Grand Slam since 2010. 

Djokovic has won the Australian Open in 2011 and 2012, won the US Open in 2011, and won Wimbledon last year.

Nadal on the other hand has won the past three French Opens, and won both the US Open and Wimbledon in 2010.

These two men are Federer's kryptonite.  This year alone Nadal beat Federer at the Australian Open, and Djokovic defeated him at the French Open.

With the Wimbledon semifinals gearing up, Federer has been given a second chance to prove he can overcome the top-ranked Djokovic.

Roger Federer isn't getting any younger.  With more and more up and coming tennis players advancing in the ranks, if Federer doesn't beat Djokovic at Wimbledon, it's time to consider Federer's time as the top tennis player over.