Roger has now definitely finished the 2008 season with a last exhibition in Macao. He showed another entertaining match, beating James Blake 6-4, 6-4 in the Venetian Macao Tennis Showdown. Roger said he was fit again but will nevertheless take an extended break before the new season begins in January.

"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," said our World No. 2. "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."

Roger broke Blake in the fifth game of the second set and retained the lead in sealing the win against Blake, who had knocked Roger out of the Olympic Games in Beijing. "I think people remember that I lost here last year (to Pete Sampras) so they figured they needed to support me to come through against James," Roger said of the crowd support he received in Macao.

McEnroe and Blake beat Roger and Björn Borg, 10-7 in the doubles finale.