The ATP calendar year has finally come to a close and anyone that followed the action will know that it was an extremely unpredictable season. There were a string of injuries that affected some of the top players, which gave way for some fresh faces to try and make their mark on the circuit.

We saw a resurgence from tennis icons Rafael Nadal and Rodger Federer, with the pair playing some of the best tennis we’ve seen from them in years. But now that the ATP circuit is having a pause, we look forward to the thrilling year of tennis that awaits us in 2018. Let’s take a look at how the current top players could do in next year’s competition.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal had a fantastic season on the tour in 2017 winning his record-breaking tenth French Open and wrapping it up with a victory at Flushing Meadows in New York. Hopefully, he can maintain his fitness with niggling knee and wrist injuries putting some doubt on his future for next year.

Even with the US Open win, he wasn’t at his best on the hard courts this season, but there is no denying his absolute supremacy when it comes to clay. We can expect another good showing at Roland Garros next year, and he should have no problem staying inside the top five.  

Roger Federer

This year saw a resurgent Federer playing some of the best tennis we’ve seen in a long time. He took out the Australian Open and won his eighth Wimbledon trophy on top of some magnificent play. The 36-year old isn’t getting any younger, but the Swiss refuses to let age slow him down and retirement could still be a few years away.

It’s likely he will sit out the clay session again and he may see him slip down the rankings a little in 2018. He will kick off the circuit at the Australian Open in January, as he looks to defend his title and win his sixth championship in Melbourne. He is currently the favorite to win the event according to the latest Tennis tips, with bookmakers having him at +275 to lift the trophy once again.        

Novak Djokovic

Novak will be looking to emulate what both Nadal and Federer achieved this year, when he makes his comeback from an elbow injury that saw him miss the end of the circuit. There’s no doubt that a player of his caliber will get back to winning ways in 2018, and the 12 time Grand Slam champion will be looking to start of the year with a bang at the Australian Open. If he can get back to full fitness and stay injury free, it’s quite possible that he could reclaim the number one spot at some stage during the year.   

Only time will tell how these players handle the pressure of next season; one thing is certain though, tennis fans are in for another year of scintillating action.