Federer shrugs off back worries
On the Wire
Roger Federer insists he is fighting fit heading into a deserved close-season break after ending a troubled 2008 with a 6-4 6-4 victory against American James Blake in an exhibition match in Macau on Thursday.
Against world number 10 Blake, Federer looked free from the well-publicised back problems which have plagued him over the last few weeks. After losing to Andy Murray at the Masters Cup last week, Federer said his back injury would have stopped him playing a semi-final less than 24 hours later.
But after beating Blake he said: "I've been feeling better and better even though I felt sick again at the start of the week. I have felt like my body has been recovering since my last match against Murray."
He added: "I was feeling well, which is a positive sign. It think it was the first time I really didn't think about my back and that is a good thing."
