Novak Djokovic won his third consecutive ATP World Tour Finals title on a walkover after Roger Federer pulled out ahead of the match, yesterday.
The world number two fought for almost three hours to defeat countryman Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals on Saturday night, saving four match points, and did not leave the O2 Arena until the early hours of yesterday.
There was speculation Federer may again have been feeling his back and that only increased when he failed to show up for a scheduled practice session yesterday afternoon.
The announcement was made following the doubles final, with Federer taking to the court to explain the situation to the fans.
He said: “Unfortunately I’m not match fit to play match tonight.
“Clearly I wish it wasn’t this way. You try all year to be ready for the ATP World Tour Finals and I didn’t want to end this way.
“I tried everything I could last night and today – painkillers, rest – until the very end, but I can’t compete at this level with Novak.
“In a final like this and at my age, it would be too risky. I hope you understand.”
The news was a huge disappointment for the sell-out crowd in London, with the clash between the world’s top two a highly-anticipated occasion, but they accepted it with little dissent.
And the mood picked up when they were told the match would be replaced by an exhibition clash between Djokovic and Andy Murray, with the pair playing a professional set to eight games.
Murray was then to take part in a doubles match partnering John McEnroe against Tim Henman and Pat Cash.
Chris Kermode, the ATP’s executive chairman and president, revealed Federer spoke to him on Saturday night after tweaking his back in the deciding tie-break against Wawrinka.
Kermode rang Murray yesterday afternoon, telling Sky Sports: “It’s amazing that he’s come up and done it.”
Had it been the final match of Federer’s season, he may well have given it a go, but the 33-year-old will next weekend attempt to win Switzerland’s first Davis Cup final alongside Wawrinka.
It is only the third time in his long career that Federer had given an opponent a walkover, while he has never pulled out during a match.
The withdrawal means Djo-kovic becomes the first player since Czech Ivan Lendl in the 1980s to win three consecutive World Tour Finals titles, with the Serbian unbeaten at the O2 Arena since 2011.