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Federer is already certain to finish behind Rafael Nadal in the final rankings of 2017, but the world number two appears poised to push his old rival for top spot next year. If Federer wins this week’s ATP Finals — he is through to the semi-finals — he will finish the year just 140 points behind Nadal. 

Having won the Australian Open and a record eighth Wimbledon title this year, Federer has a carefully chosen schedule in which he doesn’t play as many tournaments as his rivals in a bid to peak at the Grand Slams. It worked to perfection this year and he said: “Look, it’s not a realistic goal in some ways, the world number one.”

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