ATP 2017 through early 2018

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Hall of Fame
Federer’s weak era is not as weak as some Djokovic fans think and the current era is not as weak as some Federer fans think. However, 2017 through early 2018 was indeed a weak period, not so much because players of the time were awful but that so many players had long-term injuries that debilitated their play. Djokovic had elbow issues that bothered him. In 2017, he played his fewest games in a single year since the start of his career. After Murray had perhaps his best year ever in 2016, he also had an elbow injury early in 2017 and then Murray struggled with a hip injury that almost ended his career and he did not play after July. He’s been a shell of himself ever since. Wawrinka had a knee injury and then knee surgery. He also missed the second half of 2017. Raonic was injury plagued in the first half of the year and only played 2 tournaments after Wimbledon. Nishikori had a wrist injury and only played one match after July.

Some might make fun of Raonic and Nishikori, but at their best, they were dangerous players and 2016 saw them at their peaks. They ended the year ranked #3 and #5, respectively, while Murray ended 2016 at #1, Djokovic at #2, and Wawrinka at #4. So all 5 of the best players of 2016 were awful compared to their regular levels in 2017 and early 2018. Of them, only Djokovic ever truly regained their best form. So this part of the Djokovic “era” was weak, but Djokovic wasn’t in any shape to take advantage of it. Federer, however, did.

2019 and on did see the careers of Murray, Ferrer, Tsonga, Berdych, Cilic, del Potro, Nishikori, and Raonic either diminish to the point of no return or end, but they have been replaced by Thiem, Zverev, Medvedev, and Tsitsipas, who have been consistent top 10 players the past 3 years and are equal to or better than many of these players they are replacing (though none are better than Murray or peak del Potro, at least not yet).
 
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