5 Reasons why Rafael Nadal is set for a resurgence in 2017

The Murray-Djokovic tussle

Djokovic beat Murray to the ATP Qatar title earlier this year- their rivalry has been reignited with a force

At the beginning of 2016, no one was at the level of Novak Djokovic. At the end of 2016, no one was at the level of Andy Murray.

In 2017 however, both need to answer a few questions.

While Andy Murray is the World No. 1 and is probably in the deepest purple patch of his career, he still needs to prove that he has it in him to carry his dominance for a long season. He needs more victories against the top 5 players to establish himself as the best player on tour by a long margin.

Novak Djokovic has woes of his own. While he might have managed to win at Doha, numerous doubts surround his game; and the split with coach Boris Becker – with whom he added six Grand Slam titles to his tally, is sure to take a toll. He was insurmountable till the middle of 2016 but lost his way after that. He needs to reclaim his lost spot and prove that he has a lot left in his tank.

With the top two players fighting against the ghosts of uncertainty and Roger Federer still finding his feet, Nadal has a substantive chance to make the most of this season. His self belief will be higher than it was last season and considering he won an Olympic gold even then, a lot more can be expected of him this time around!