The tennis world has seen unforgettable comebacks this season. Some marquee players stunned the world with a bang-on return. While Swiss great Roger Federer rose like a phoenix from ashes and clinched the Australian Open and the Wimbledon this year, his rival Spaniard Rafael Nadal also claimed a historic 10th French Open title. But despite the several highs for Federer and Nadal, the season claimed victims in several top players.
Andy Murray, who started the season as the world No 1, had to withdraw from the 2017 US Open due to a hip injury. Serbian ace Novak Djokovic was ruled out with an elbow injury and the 2016 US Open winner Stan Wawrinka followed suit.
Wawrinka suffered a knee injury during his first round exit at Wimbledon 2017. Since then, he has been on the sidelines. Milos Raonic followed the tail and joined the list with a wrist injury. The Japanese player Kei Nishikori also became a victim of a wrist injury and withdrew from the tournament.
Although these tennis stars failed to continue the current season, fans will eagerly wait for them to return. There are tennis professionals, who fought with career threatening injuries and made a great comeback.
Roger Federer
Former world No. 1 Roger Federer had been out for six months due to a knee issue after 2016 Wimbledon semi-final. But at 35 years of age, it was not expected of him to make a swift return, neither did he.
However, he made his way to claim Australian Open and Wimbledon to take his major tally to 19. In Melbourne, he defeated his rival Rafael Nadal and Marin Cilic in London. But injuries chased him again.
He had to withdraw from Cincinnati Open. This time it was a back injury. After losing to German ace Alexander Zverev in the Rogers Cup final, he has somehow managed to progress to the quarter-final. The Swiss tennis legend will be playing against the Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro.
Rafael Nadal
The king of clay-court, Rafael Nadal had a string of injuries throughout his career. Last year, he was forced to give walk-over to fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers in a round-of-32 match at Roland Garros. He had a wrist injury then.
But he featured in 2016 Olympic Games, Cincinnati, US Open, Beijing and Shanghai. Although the 31-year-old played all those tournaments, he showed his best in the 2017 Australian Open. However, he lost in the final match but sealed his victory in the French Open. He then progressed to the US Open quarter-final to face a 19-year-old youngster Andrey Rublev.
Juan Martin Del Potro
Juan Martin Del Potro was the rising star back in 2009. The Argentine won the US Open that year defeating Federer. In the following year, he reached his career best rank 4. But a series of injuries and multiple wrist surgeries almost had his career finished in 2015.
However, 2016 marked a new beginning for the 28-year-old. After dropping down in rankings following almost a year long injury lay off. The beginning of the year also didn't go so well. He was still struggling. But after a series of disappointing results, he made a return in Rio Olympics and knocked out Djokovic in the first round. He finished with a silver medal after losing to Great Britain's Andy Murray.
His long wait for titles is yet to come to an end. But he still goes on. In 2017 US Open, he secured his place in quarter-finals to serve against the world rank 3.
Venus Williams
The elder of the two Williams sisters, Venus Williams, is a former world no.1 and winner of seven Grand Slams. She too had been plagued by injuries.
After suffering from Sjögrens syndrome in 2011, she finally ended her title drought in 2014. At 37, she is still considered one of the best in the women's tennis world.
She lost two Grand Slam finals this year, first at Australian Open to her sister Serena Williams and at Wimbledon to Spaniard Garbine Muguruza. At the US Open, she will be playing against the Czech ace Petra Kvitová in the quarter-final match.
