Roger Federer expects tight race between Murray and Djokovic for world number one in 2017

Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic were stupendous in the year 2016, winning a number of titles. The Serbian started the year with a bang, winning the year's first grand slam, Australian Open, and later also the French Open. Murray, on the other hand, had a great time in the circuit, winning the Wimbledon, Rio Olympics gold and ATP World Tour Finals, which helped the Scot finish the year as world number one.

The race to the top spot in the ATP was always a close race between the two, and former world number one Roger Federer believes it is going to be neck and neck race in 2017 as well. The Swiss ace also feels that Djokovic will become number one once again, but Andy will not let his rankings slip anytime soon.

"I expect Novak to be No 1at some point again in his career – it'll be hard in the next few months because of the sheer domination he had at the beginning of this year so I think Andy will hang on to it for a while," tennisworldusa.org quoted Federer as saying.

"But then again, we have to see who stays injury-free, that plays a lot into it as well. It'll be a bit of a neck and neck race for the next six months to a year. If anybody wants to break that, they'll have to win two slams, so it's pretty much on Novak and Andy's racket at the moment."

Though Djokovic and Murray had a great year, it was not a memorable one for Federer, who did not win a single title. It was also in July that the Swiss decided to take rest for six months, and continue his rehab process after the knee surgery.

Federer is pleased to have taken the break as he is fresh for the upcoming season, where the competition in the top bracket is going to be tough.

"I do believe it could be very beneficial for the future of my tennis career that I've had this six-month layoff.' I feel rejuvenated, refreshed. Maybe mentally I needed this rest more than I thought I would. Maybe also my body needed a rest more than I thought I would," Federer said.