KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 19: Roger Federer scraped past James Blake on Tuesday in a one-set exhibition game, showing no signs of the back strain or stomach bug that hampered him at last week’s season-ending Masters Cup.

Blake broke first for a 3-1 lead with some powerful groundstrokes and pinpoint serving, before Federer clawed a game back for 3-2 and served out to level the match at 3-3.

It went to a tiebreak where Federer showed his mettle to emerge a 7-6 winner in a hard-fought match-up interspersed with some light-hearted moments.

“There was some fantastic tennis tonight. I was very confident coming into the match today and I played pretty well so I’m happy,” said Federer. “James is a great friend of mine on tour and I love playing him.”

The pair play another exhibition in Macau on Thursday before Federer takes a well-earned break before the 2009 season which he gets underway in the Middle East ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne in January.

“I couldn’t quite get him today but he proved why he is a true champion,” stated Blake, who beat Federer at the Beijing Olympics. “There were some exciting points tonight but in the end he got the better of me.”

On the same bill, John McEnroe won the battle of the old timers when he beat former arch-rival Bjorn Borg 7-6.For Borg and McEnroe, both sporting grey hair, it was 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.

McEnroe played to the crowd, making fun of himself, only occasionally glaring at the linesman or umpire and throwing his racquet just twice.

Despite being 52, Borg showed he hadn’t lost his touch, still exhibiting some sublime passing shots that left 49-year-old McEnroe grudgingly nodding his approval.

“He was my great rival and I knew it would be close,” said McEnroe.

Borg added: “Playing John is always special for me. It was a great rivalry and playing him again brings back some great memories.”

Federer then teamed up with Borg for the first time ever to play a set against McEnroe and Blake in an event that featured players who have won 31 Grand Slam titles between them.—AFP