2017 saw the resurgence of two of professional tennis’ greatest ever players.
Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer both ended their 2016 seasons prematurely as they both suffered from the injury.
They had to watch from the sidelines as rivals Novak Djokovic completed the Career Grand Slam and Andy Murray retained his Olympic title and became World number one for the first time.
Therefore, it was unknown how Federer and Nadal would commence the 2017 season, but they would soon remind everyone of their greatness.
Roger Federer explains what ‘surprised’ him about Rafael Nadal in 2017
Nadal and Federer returned to the tour at the start of the 2017 season after injury layoffs.
They shocked the world by reaching the Australian Open final, which was their first Grand Slam final against each other since the 2011 French Open.
They won to share that year’s four Grand Slams between them and Nadal not only regained the number one ranking, but he also finished the year as the ATP’s top-ranked player, which surprised Federer.
“Am I surprised that he’s world No. 1 right now? Maybe a little bit, just because last year we were at the academy, you know, both injured, not knowing where our careers were going to go,” Federer said about Nadal ahead of the 2017 Laver Cup.
“I’m not surprised he came back and won the French Open and he wins Grand Slams again and that he was in contention for world No. 1. But then being world No. 1 is a whole different story.
“For that you also have to see how Murray was going to play, and Djokovic was going to have a word to say, obviously. We didn’t know they were going to get hurt and not have their best season. So super impressive. I’m very happy for him.”
What were Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s 2017 win-loss records?
Nadal and Federer each produced one of the best seasons of their respective careers in 2017.
The Spaniard played 80 matches in 2017 and won 68 of them, and he collected six titles during the season, one of which was a historic 10th French Open title, which he won without dropping a set.
Federer claimed seven titles in a 2017 season where he won 54 of 59 matches. Four of those victories came against Nadal.
The Swiss Maestro beat his former rival in a Grand Slam for the first time since 2007 in a thrilling five-set match to lift his fifth Australian Open crown.
Federer then claimed straight wins against Nadal at Indian Wells, Miami and Shanghai as a change of racket and playing more aggressively with his backhand helped him attain more success against the 22-time Grand Slam champion.
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