The morning after his remarkable fifth consecutive triumph in the US Open last month, Roger Federer talked about how he had not felt stronger and fresher for a long time - that he believed the old invincibility was flowing back. The chirpy champion looked as if he could have slipped straight into his tennis gear and played a few more sets.

Federer spoke, too about the period at the beginning of the year when he was not feeling at all chipper, about the glandular fever that had affected him and how he had worried about how he should tell the world that he had been suffering from it without any of his words sounding like an excuse for the semi final loss to Serbia's Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open and the first round defeat in Dubai to Andy Murray. When Federer said yesterday that he might not play again this year, it was not that much of a shock, because his twin aims for 2009 are to regain his No.1 ranking from Rafael Nadal and collect a couple of grand slam titles so that he can overhaul Pete Sampras' tally of 14, from which he is currently one removed. This is no time to flog himself to death.

The Swiss - who has withdrawn from next week's Stockholm Open says that it is only 'a hope' that he will return this year, that he has to listen to his body and not try to overdo things. Of the five remaining tournaments he had pencilled on his schedule, two mean the world to him, his hometown event in Basel, which is sandwiched between the Masters in Madrid and Paris. (he does not have to play in either of those, for he has already qualified for the Masters Cup finale in Shanghai) and the final itself for he has forged a strong affinity with the Chinese and their support of the sport.

Of course, a lot of tickets have been sold in several cities on the expectation that Federer will be seen in the flesh and not just his image tied to local lamp-posts. But in Madrid, they are going to present Rafael Nadal with his No.1 world trophy, it is going to be Rafa, Rafa all the way and perhaps Federer could do without having that situation thrust down his throat. Better to keep himself ready for Shanghai, where he will only have to play five times at most, his three group matches and a potential semi final and final. All the matches are best of three sets.

I would expect to see him in Basel, because he simply loves to appear in front of 'his' people and his victory for Switzerland in the Olympic doubles with Stanislas Wawrinka in August meant the world to him. And I am sure he will present himself in China.

But that will be it. Federer will then fly off to to his magnificent pad in Dubai to prepare properly for the blistering Australian summer - it is one of the most important periods of his year, a training block where he gets himself in the right shape for the mental and physical extremities ahead.

He has endured much, achieved much, tolerated much and delivered much this year. If anyone deserves to have a rest, it is Roger Federer.