Federer ready to lift himself one last time this season

Roger Federer winds down his tough season with Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe this week, playing a series of exhibitions despite the back injury that hampered his bid for a fifth Masters Cup.

The Swiss star graces Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and Macau on Thursday then will rest and recuperate over the Christmas break before his focus turns to the first Grand Slam of the season in Australia in January.

While Federer has signed up for this week, which also features James Blake, he has made it clear that these sort of events will not be on his schedule next year, despite the lure of a fat pay cheque.

Instead, his focus will be on beating Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam singles' titles. He currently has 13, with the Australian Open his next target.

"I'm happy the season is over," he said after Andy Murray bundled him out of the Masters Cup at the round robin stage in Shanghai.

"I hope I can recover from all of what happened this week because it was tough," added Federer, who was also struggling with a stomach bug.

Now 27, Federer is already treating his body more carefully, withdrawing from a tournament in Stockholm in October then pulling out of the Paris Masters this month ahead of his quarter-final against Blake.

Despite falling to Murray, he said he was content with his season, even though he lost the top spot after 237 weeks and his five-year Wimbledon winning streak was ended by Rafael Nadal.

"I mean, it was a good season. I was happy I could win the US Open for the fifth straight and I'm looking forward to next year, you know, to go for six," he said.

"It was an incredible match at Wimbledon (against Nadal), to be part of, so that was good, as well. "Obviously very emotional victories, again, in Basel, my hometown. And winning the Olympic gold for Switzerland was a big moment for me.

"It's been a good year. But tough to start off with, tough to end. So obviously a little bit of mixed feelings. But I think it gives me the opportunity to start over all new again next year."

The format in Kuala Lumpur will see one set between Borg and McEnroe followed by another set featuring Federer and Blake. This will be followed by a one-set doubles pitting Federer and Borg against McEnroe and Blake.

For Borg and McEnroe it will be a walk down memory lane, revisiting the highs and lows of their bitter rivalry, typified by the 1980 Wimbledon final won by Borg in five gruelling sets.

The 49-year-old McEnroe, who won seven Grand Slam singles titles during his storied career, now works as a television commentator.

Borg, 52, captured 11 Grand Slam singles titles six at Roland Garros and five consecutive titles at Wimbledon, before walking away from the sport aged just 26 after seeing his Wimbledon reign ended by McEnroe in 1981.

McEnroe said he was looking forward to this week.

"I'm honoured to be part of such a great event. I'm going to give my best and am also looking forward to the clash against Borg," he said. McEnroe and Borg were deprived of a warm-up after organisers scrapped a tournament in Penang over the weekend because Malaysian promoters failed to provide funds for the event.

The "Kings of Tennis" was scheduled to include McEnroe, Sampras, Borg, Stefan Edberg, Roy Emerson, Marcelo Rios, Ilie Nastase and Mats Wilander.

KUALA LUMPUR, AFP