Fan's View: Can Novak Djokovic Win a True Grand Slam in 2012?

When I woke up Sunday, Jan. 29, 2012, I turned on ESPN2 expecting watch a repeat of the Australian Open men's singles final between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to see that the match was still going on. I'm a big-time tennis fan and love to watch the finals of all the Grand Slam events.

The match was was just entering the fifth set after Nadal had won a tiebreaker 7-5 to force a fifth set. Rafael Nadal looked like he was going to claim the Australian Open, too, in the that fifth set. He broke Djokovic early on to go up 4-2. But then he let Djokovic break back to tie him at 4-4.

Djokovic then broke Nadal again and won the Australian Open in five sets, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 7-5.

Novak Djokovic Defeats Rafael Nadal at Australian Open in Longest Grand Slam Singles Final in History

The match is now the longest Grand Slam singles match final in history at 5 hours, 53 minutes. Both players were absolutely exhausted during the presentation ceremony, but both these players are great tennis champions. After Djokovic won, the question can now be asked: Will Novak Djokovic win a true Grand Slam in 2012?

In order to win a true Grand Slam in tennis, a player must win all four Grand Slam tennis events--Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open--in a calender year. The only men's tennis player to win a true Grand Slam during the Open Era is Rod Laver. In 1969, Laver won the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open to complete his Grand Slam.

Novak Djokovic at the French Open

The French Open is the only Grand Slam that Novak Djokovic has yet to win. His best finishes at Roland Garros have been three semifinals in 2007, 2008 and 2011.

Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon in 2011. So he is the reigning champ going into Wimbledon this year.

Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open

Novak Djokovic won his first U.S. Open in 2011. So he is also the reigning champ going into the 2012 U.S. Open.

As you can see, Novak Djokovic won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2011. He can obviously win both of those Grand Slam titles again in 2012. The Grand Slam title that will be a problem for Djokovic is the French Open.

In 2011, Novak Djokovic lost in the semifinal at Roland Garros in four sets to Roger Federer. Rafael Nadal won his record sixth French Open in 2011.

Can Novak Djokovic win the French Open in 2012? Djokovic can win on clay, as he defeated Nadal at the Madrid Open on clay in 2011.

So will Novak Djokovic win a true Grand Slam in 2012? I think he's got a real chance to do it this year. He also won the Australian Open in 2011, so he has won four of the last five men's Grand Slam singles titles.

If Djokovic can win the French Open in 2012, I think he will win a true Grand Slam in 2012.