David Ferrer: Can He Find Grand Slam Glory in 2012?

The ATP's "Big Four" of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Andy Murray not only won every Masters Series 1000 event between them in 2011, but also took up all the spots in Grand Slam finals over the year.

In other words, it was tough to make a breakthrough at the big stages for other members of the tour.

However, 2012 could find world No. 5 David Ferrer doing just that.

This past season, the Spaniard reached the semifinals of the Australian Open, the second time he's advanced to the final four of one of tennis' premier events in his career. Perhaps surprisingly, the other time was at the U.S. Open in 2007.

Those two results come as a bit of a shock because Ferrer has long been considered one of the game's top clay courters, with 16 of his 25 career final appearances being reached on the dirt. While most of his success has come on the crushed brick, among the other nine finals reached is a title on grass, as well as four others won on hard courts, including one indoors.

His versatility takes him beyond the stereotype of being viewed as a typical clay courter, who only relies on getting the ball back and frustrating his opponents. Ferrer, one of the fastest players out there, gets in excellent position to generate pace on the ball.

His serve is vastly underrated: In one of his last matches of 2011, Ferrer out-aced Djokovic in their round-robin battle at the ATP World Tour Finals on his way to the upset. At the year-end tournament, Ferrer also posted a win over Murray early on.

Those two wins were only part of a near-perfect end-of-2011 stretch for Ferrer as he also battled through a five-set match against Juan Martin del Potro in the Davis Cup finals, helping Spain to the title. Soon after the host nation clinched the title against Argentina, Ferrer announced he was retiring from Davis Cup—ending his representation in the team event on a perfect note.

In 2012, barring injury, he should be a member of the Spanish Olympic team, so national competition won't be completely said and done with.

Plus, he should be a bit fresher for the majors with the intent of perhaps making his first Grand Slam final. In this day and age, that would be quite the accomplishment—one worthy of the hard-working Ferrer.