Andy Murray will head into 2017 as the man to beat after cementing his place at the top of the rankings by beating Novak Djokovic to win the ATP World Tour Finals at London's O2 Arena.
Murray plans to take two weeks off before beginning preparations for 2017 at a training camp in Miami.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at what we can expect from next season.
How likely is Murray to hold onto the number one ranking?
In the short term, very likely indeed. Djokovic began 2016 in phenomenal form, winning the Australian Open and the Masters titles in Indian Wells and Miami, so will find it difficult to gain points over the first part of the season. Murray did very well again in Melbourne, losing to Djokovic in the final, but took February off following the birth of his daughter and lost early in both Indian Wells and Miami. His form picked up during the clay season but Djokovic still claimed more points so, barring a collapse from Murray, it is highly probable the Scot will still be world number one come Wimbledon.
What will be Murray's biggest goals?
Aside from staying number one, Murray's two big goals will be winning the Australian Open and French Open. He has reached the final in Australia five times, including the last two years, but has not managed to lift the trophy. This is surely his best chance yet. Winning at Roland Garros was only something that really came onto his radar in 2015 when his game suddenly clicked on clay. Were he to win both, he would become only the ninth man ever to complete the career Grand Slam.
What about Djokovic?
One of the big questions for next season will be how the 29-year-old responds to his dramatic slump. It is normal to feel a loss of motivation after achieving one's biggest goals and that clearly happened to Djokovic after he finally claimed the French Open title. His form suffered and he lacks confidence in his game, while rumours about his personal life continue to circulate. Djokovic is a hugely driven man, however, and losing his place at the top of the sport will surely not sit well. The off-season should give him the chance to work through his issues and it would be no surprise if he came back a lot stronger.
Will Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal be back?
Both are confident of being fit for the start of 2017 and it will be fascinating to see how much of a threat they can pose to Murray and his new-found status. Federer is 35 and has not played since July so is likely to need some time to find his stride again, while it may be hard for Nadal to trust his body after it has let him down so often. Both could well be seeded outside the top eight in Australia, making the draw potentially very interesting.
Who are the other dangers?
Milos Raonic finished the year ranked number three and showed the improvements he has made in pushing Murray all the way in the semi-finals at the O2. The likes of Stan Wawrinka and Kei Nishikori are always capable of causing an upset while Nick Kyrgios returns from his ban with a lot to prove about whether he can live up to his undoubted potential. Young players like Dominic Thiem, Lucas Pouille and Alexander Zverev made big strides in 2016 and will hope to continue that progress.
Source: PA
