Rio Olympics 2016, Tennis: Top 5 contenders for the Olympic Gold in Men’s Singles

2. Novak Djokovic

Olympic Seeding: 1

On a purple patch: Novak Djokovic can achieve the Non-calendar year Golden Slam at Rio 2016

It is borderline blasphemous to not put Novak Djokovic as the No.1 contender for the Olympic Gold at Rio.

While a shocking third round exit at Wimbledon last month proved that Nole is human, the Serb has once again exalted himself to being the unstoppable force by winning a record fourth Rogers Cup and his 30th ATP Masters 1000 title recently.

Though he has lost the opportunity of adding the Golden Slam, a feat achieved by just one player Steffi Graf, Djokovic does have the opportunity to win the Non-calendar year Golden Slam. The Bryan Brothers are the only players to have achieved the Non-calendar year Golden Slam when they held the 2012 US Open, 2013 Australian Open, 2013 French Open and 2013 Wimbledon Championships along with their Doubles Gold at the London Olympics in 2012.

Would someone play party-pooper at Rio?

Leander Paes ousted Pete Sampras in the Atlanta Olympics of 1996 and Tomas Berdych routed Roger Federer in the Athens Olympics of 2004. The sheer unpredictable nature of the Olympics over the years is the only gremlin that could blow out the lights in Djokovic’s campaign.

Otherwise the Olympic Gold is Nole’s for the taking!