Federer, Nadal set for repeat show in 2018?

LONDON — Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have utterly dominated during 2017 but as the season ends there is a palpable sense that the top of the men's game is in a state of rare flux.

Federer and world number one Nadal rolled back the years to reclaim the top two ranking spots and hogged the four Grand Slam titles as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray slipped off the radar.

But the season ended with a new name on the ATP Finals trophy after Grigor Dimitrov triumphed in London.

So with a clutch of new faces in the top 10, are we witnessing a changing of the guard or just a blip? Can ageing Federer and Nadal still keep up the pace?

Federer, 36, shocked observers by returning from a sixmonth injury layoff to win the Australian Open, beating Nadal in a thrilling five-setter.

That set the stage for a year of Grand Slam domination, with Nadal picking up his 10th French Open and winning the US Open for the third time while Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon Crown.

Nadal, 31, pulled out during the Paris Masters with a right knee injury and was forced to call it quits after the first round in London but sounded upbeat about his chances of being ready to compete at the start of next season.

Federer looked short of his best during his semi-final defeat in London at the hands of David Goffin but stayed positive, saying he had had an "amazing year" as he plotted for next season.

Neither sound like they have plans to go anywhere yet.