By Chris Oddo

(July 20, 2012)--Roger Federer and Serena Williams will enter the 2012 Olympic Games with a great shot to pull the Wimbledon-Olympic double. Only three players have been able to achieve the feat since tennis returned to the Olympic Games in 1988: Steffi Graf (1988), Venus Williams (2000) and Rafael Nadal (2008).

This year, with the Olympics at Wimbledon, two of the greatest grass-court players and Wimbledon performers of all-time will have a shot to become the fourth and fifth.

Which player is more likely to get it done, and why?

1. Best-of-Three Favors Serena

Not a lot is going against Roger Federer at the moment. He’s just won his seventeenth Slam, he’s got 46 wins and five titles on the year and he’s a veritable god of the grass. But at the Olympics this year, Federer will be a little more prone to being upset, simply because of the best-of-three format in all rounds except the final. It shouldn’t be too much of a problem for the Swiss Maestro, but it does increase the chances of him getting upset in the early rounds.

Meanwhile, Serena Williams is used to the best-of-three format, so nothing changes for her at Wimbledon, where her 67-8 career record at SW 19 makes her the clear favorite against everyone she faces.

Advantage: Serena

2. Nadal’s Absence Opens Things up for Federer

Before Nadal shocked us all by announcing he wouldn’t be ready to compete at this year’s games, Federer’s chances of winning his first Olympic gold medal were not nearly what they are today. Let’s face it: Roger’s a lot better off without his longtime nemesis (his career record vs. Rafa is 10-18) in the draw.

Serena has been dominant enough at Wimbledon that she doesn’t need any help from the draw gods. She just needs to bring that weapons-grade serve to Centre Court and all should be fine for her.

Advantage: Inconclusive

3. Serena Relied Heavily on the Serve at The Championships

As good as Serena was at this year’s Championships, raining down 102 aces on her competition and dominating the tournament with what is widely recognized as the best serve that women’s tennis has ever seen, the question persists: can she possibly serve like that again?

And, if she doesn’t, is she really fit enough and mobile enough to keep winning matches without the dominating serve? While Williams did win the Bank of the West Classic at Stanford last week, her first-serve was clocked in the 90’s for much of the week. It’ll be interesting to see if she can ramp it up again to the 120 range, and keep hitting it with pinpoint accuracy if she does.

Federer also has one of the best serves in men’s tennis history, and he’ll need it as well, but percentage-wise, the stroke isn’t as important to him as it is to Williams right now.

Advantage: Federer

4. Djokovic Will Be Hungry

Given that Novak Djokovic, a bronze medalist at the 2008 Games, is likely still smarting from his loss to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon semis, expect him to be a serious thorn in the side of the Swiss Maestro this year. Of course, with the unprecedented depth of the men’s game, Federer will face many threats in the draw, but should he find himself in a final with Djokovic, he would be in for a battle royale.

For Federer, who has never played his best tennis at the Olympics, as losses to James Blake and Tomas Berdych indicate, a hungry Djokovic could prove to be too much for him.

All the usual suspects--think Sharapova, Kvitova, Azarenka--will be there to make things difficult for Serena at the Games, but at the end of the day, Wimbledon is Serena’s house right now. She just needs to hold her serve--and her nerve--and things should be fine.

Advantage: Serena

5. Both Players Have a Lot to Prove at the Olympics

Who do you think wants this Olympic title more, Williams or Federer? Normally, one would think that Williams has the greater desire, given that she’s never won Olympic gold and she seems bent on achieving all the milestones that she possibly can now that she’s turned 30. But with the Games taking place at Wimbledon, where Federer owns a 66-7 career record, Federer’s intensity is likely to be as high as it ever has been on the Olympic stage.

In truth, this is a title that is deeply coveted by both Williams and Federer. As the Olympics have gained prestige in the tennis community the Career Golden Slam has become something to strive for.

Federer and Williams have 31 Grand Slam titles between them, but zero Olympic singles gold medals. Given what greedy champions each has been in the past, you can be sure that neither one of them wants to go out with that zero next to their name, and with the Olympics taking place once every four years, this is the final chance for each to get the gold.

In other words, desire should not be an issue.

Advantage: Inconclusive

(Photo Credit: Getty)