Top 5 tennis comebacks to look forward to in 2017

Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Rafael Nadal are among the top 5 tennis comebacks to look forward to in 2017. Will these stars be able to make the most of the coming year and be remembered for their success?

1. Roger Federer’s push for an 18th Grand Slam title after six-month lay-off

Roger Federer might be making a comeback to tennis from knee problems that plagued the second half of his 2016 campaign, but age isn’t exactly on his side. At 35, the Swiss maestro is still aiming to be part of the top 10 and intends on winning at least one grand slam this year to extend his current record of 17 Grand Slams.

Despite missing out on this month’s International Premier Tennis League tournament, Federer has been training rigorously in anticipation for the Hopman Cup in Australia, which is a non ATP tournament taking place in the first week of January. Should he get off to a good start there and end his four-year Grand Slam drought this year, he would become the second oldest man to win a Grand Slam major since Ken Rosewall won the 1972 Australian Open aged 37 years and 2 months.

And which better major to turn up at than Wimbledon, which Federer has won on seven occasions.

2. Maria Sharapova’s return from 15-month suspension

Five-time Grand Slam winner Maria Sharapova also makes a comeback to competitive women’s tennis at the end of April 2017 after serving a 15-month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. One of the richest female athletes in her heyday, Sharapova has not won a tennis major since the 2014 French Open, with her last appearance in a final coming at the Australian Open the following year.

How fans and fellow WTA players will welcome the Russian back to the fold is yet to be seen, but the 29-year-old will surely be raring to make the most of her final years in the sport by adding to her Grand Slam collection and also possibly attaining the number one ranking.

It could be possible, but only if the next person on the list doesn’t stand in her way.

3. Serena Williams’ quest to make history

2017 is Serena Williams’ best chance to break Steffi Graf’s 22 major Open Era record. The 35-year-old American is on the wrong side of her 30’s but that shouldn’t stop her from achieving one of the greatest records in tennis, considering she has won a major in each of the last five years.

But her advancing age has also meant that she has had to severely restrict her schedule over the past couple of years. Serena took part in just 8 tournaments in 2016 and had to end her season after the US Open due to troubles with her shoulder.

She makes her return to tennis at the ASB Classic in Auckland before trying to win the 2017 Australian Open, where she was the runners-up the previous year following a 6-3 3-6 6-4 loss to German Angelique Kerber.

4. Rafael Nadal’s search for a 15th Grand Slam

Nadal hasn’t won a Grand Slam since his French Open win in 2014, so he will be looking forward to a positive 2017 after a couple of tumultuous years on the tour. The Spaniard is making his comeback at the Mubadala World Tennis Championship following the recent addition of former world number one and close friend Carlos Moya to his coaching staff.

Although Rafael Nadal no longer possesses the legs or power that he once had, he is still a threat to any top player on his day. The 30-year-old will looking to hone his technique and mental strength this year in an attempt to win his fifteenth Grand Slam, or his tenth Roland Garros title.

5. Nick Kyrgios’ uncertain future

The official ‘bad boy’ of ATP tennis after two sanctions in as many years, it isn’t exactly clear what Nick Kyrgios wants from his career. The coach-less Australian will make his return to tennis at the 2017 Hopman Cup after his bizarre recent suspension in October, which saw him get eight weeks out and a $40,000 fine for not trying in a match at the ATP Rolex Masters in Shanghai.