Rafael Nadal has been forced to withdraw from the first ATP World Tour tournament of 2018, the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp, which starts 31 December. The Spaniard announced on social media that he’s still not fit to play after participating but eventually pulling out of the final two tournaments of the 2017 season – the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals – because of a right knee injury. 

“I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year. My intention was to play but I am still not ready after last year’s long season and the late start of my preparation,” Nadal said.

The 31-year-old finished No. 1 in the 2017 year-end Emirates ATP Rankings for the fourth time, winning six titles, including two ATP World Tour Masters 1000 crowns – the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters and the Mutua Madrid Open – and two Grand Slams, his 10th Roland Garros and his third US Open.

Nadal was planning on making his second appearance in Brisbane after reaching the quarter-finals on debut in 2017 (l. to Raonic). “I had a great time there and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia,” he said.

The Spaniard still plans to play the season’s first Grand Slam, the Australian Open, which he won in 2009 and has reached the final of three times – 2012, 2014, and 2017. “I will be seeing my Aussie fans when I land on the fourth in Melbourne and start there my preparation for the Australian Open,” he said.

I am sorry to announce I won’t be coming to Brisbane this year. My intention was to play but I am still not ready after last year’s long season and the late start of my preparation.
I had a great time there and it was a great start to the month I spent in Australia

— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) December 27, 2017

Continuing our Season In Review series, ATPWorldTour.com presents the second part of its two-part series on the year’s most notable statistics.

There is little doubt that 2017 was highlighted by the return of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer to the top two spots in the Emirates ATP Rankings. The rivals combined to produce an astonishing 119-16 record in 2017.

So it is not surprising that they would hold the two longest winning streaks by anyone on the ATP World Tour. What may be surprising, however, is that Nadal and Federer combined to create the five longest winning streaks on tour this year, with the Spaniard having the longest unbeaten run (17 matches) of any player in the world.

Longest Winning Streaks

It is tough enough to qualify for the main draw on the ATP World Tour. So when qualifiers not only make it through, but keep on winning, it is even more impressive. Peter Gojowczyk was No. 95 in the Emirates ATP Rankings when he began his qualifying run at the Moselle Open. After going on to win his maiden title in Metz, he would continue his good form and finish the season at a career-best No. 60 in the Emirates ATP Rankings.

ATP World Tour Qualifying Leaders

But he was not the only qualifier who went on to make a deep run in the main draw that same week. Six qualifiers would eventually make the final this season, with Filip Krajinovic’s effort at the Rolex Paris Masters the best performance by a qualifier at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level.

Oddly enough, two lucky losers — players who fell in the final round of qualifying but got into the main draw due to a withdrawal — would claim trophies as well. 

Best Result by Qualifiers in 2017

– Peter Gojowczyk, Champion: Metz (d. Paire)

– Aljaz Bedene, Finalist: Budapest (l. to Pouille)

– Guido Pella, Finalist:  Munich (l. to A. Zverev)

– Mischa Zverev, Finalist:  Geneva (l. to Wawrinka)

– Matthew Ebden, Finalist:  Newport (l. to Isner)

– Yannick Hanfmann, Finalist:  Gstaad (l. to Fognini)

– Filip Krajinovic, Finalist:  Paris (l. to Sock)

Best Result by Lucky Losers in 2017

– Andrey Rublev, Champion: Umag (d. Lorenzi)

– Leonardo Mayer, Champion: Hamburg (d. F. Mayer)

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS & FIGURES

The last time in 2017 that…

• The No. 1 and No. 2 seeds reached a final: No. 2 Roger Federer d. No. 1 Rafael Nadal, Shanghai. There were four meetings between the top two seeds in a final in 2017.

• The top four seeds reached the SF: Basel (1. Federer, 2. Cilic, 3. Goffin, 4. Del Potro). This happened three times in 2017.

• The top eight seeds reached the QF: Stockholm

• There was an all-unseeded final (5 times in 2017): Denis Istomin d. Marcos Baghdatis, Chengdu

• An all-30 & over final (12 times in 2017): Roger Federer (36) d. Rafael Nadal (31), Shanghai

• An unseeded player won a title (14 times in 2017): Lucas Pouille, Vienna

• A player won a title without losing serve: John Isner, Newport (39 games – no break points faced)

• A player won both singles and doubles titles: Alexander Zverev, Montpellier (doubles w/brother Mischa)

• A player outside the Top 100 won a title: No. 138 Leonardo Mayer, Hamburg (d. F. Mayer)

• There was an all-left-hander final: Rafael Nadal d. Albert Ramos-Vinolas, Monte-Carlo

• A wild card won a title: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Antwerp (d. Schwartzman)

• There was an all-wild card final: Novak Djokovic d. Gael Monfils, Eastbourne

• A lucky loser won a title: Leonardo Mayer, Hamburg (d. F. Mayer)

• A qualifier won a title: Peter Gojowczyk, Metz (d. Paire)

• A teenager won a title: Andrey Rublev (19), Umag (d. Lorenzi)

More 2017 fast facts:

• The longest singles tie-break: 20-18, Murray d. Kohlschreiber 6-7(4), 7-6(18), 6-1, Dubai QF

• The longest doubles tie-break: 14-12, Knowle/Marrero d. Altmaier/Haas 7-6(12), 7-6(4), Hamburg 1R

• The longest match tie-break: 22-20, Reid/Smith d. Hsieh/Peng 4-6, 6-4, 22-20, Newport 1R

• Left-handers went 9-14 in finals after going 8-6 in 2016 (Nadal-6, Muller-2, and Lopez won titles)

• Players winning the first set in finals won 56 of 67 times (83.6%)

 2017 ATP WORLD TOUR LEADERS

Record By Surface

Nadal and Federer, who finished the season at No. 1 and No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, dominated the biggest tournaments of the season. They were a combined 89-10 at Grand Slams and ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events. And while the Spaniard earned the most wins at those events (51), the Swiss had the highest combined winning percentage (95%).

When a match goes to a decisive set, anything can happen. 

But one player excelled more than any other in that department this season: Goffin. The Belgian won 22 of 28 deciders in 2017, and perhaps most impressively was 4-1 against the Top 10 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. 

Federer won all five of his five-setters this year, claiming three victories in decisive sets at the Australian Open to win his first Grand Slam since 2012 Wimbledon. 

Two of the great marks of successful players are how they close out a match and how they face adversity. So it was no surprise that Rafael Nadal was nearly perfect in 2017 after gaining a lead, winning 61 of 63 matches after capturing the first set. His only two losses in such a situation came against Canadians — Milos Raonic in Brisbane and Denis Shapovalov in Montreal. 

David Goffin earned the most come-from-behind victories on the ATP World Tour this year, winning 14 times after dropping the first set. That helped him qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals for the first time, where he would reach the final.

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