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Roger Federer: Australian Open win shakes up 2017 ATP World Tour

By Harry Floyd

Sep 11, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after beating Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland on day twelve of the 2015 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 11, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after beating Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland on day twelve of the 2015 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports /
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Roger Federer wins the 2017 Australian Open and shakes up an already stellar 2017 field in men’s singles tennis. What’s next?

Roger Federer is the surprise champion at the 2017 Australian Open.

It is strange to think that arguably the greatest player in the history of tennis can be an underdog, but that is exactly what Federer was going into Melbourne Park.

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At 35-years-old, Federer has been plagued by small lingering injuries over the past year and had not won a Grand Slam singles title since 2012.

He makes history, earning his 18th Grand Slam singles title in his win over Rafael Nadal. The win now breeds speculation as to what impact he can have on the 2017 ATP World Tour.

2017 was largely expected to be dominated by Andy Murray. After taking the world No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic toward the end of 2016, Murray continued to surge, winning the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London. His win in London over Djokovic snapped the Serbian’s winning streak at the tournament.

With young players such as Kei Nishikori and Milos Raonic also playing well and holding strong in their newly earned top rankings, the likes of Federer and Nadal were expected to have a tough road ahead. The play of both at Melbourne Park shocked the sport and now present an exciting tour ahead.

The win by Roger Federer is one of the best things to happen to the sport this year. The Swiss player is a huge fan favorite and his success is always good for tennis. It also brings back the possibility of tremendous competition between the “Big Four” along with other rising stars in men’s tennis.

Next: Top 10 Men's Players in Open Era

Check back for updates on the men’s ATP World Tour, the women’s WTA Tour, and other tennis news from Lob and Smash.

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