SINGAPORE - Roger Federer's debut in Singapore ended on a winning note as he led his Obi UAE Royals to a 27-23 victory over the host Singapore Slammers in the 2015 International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) on Friday night.
The 17-time Grand Slam won two of his three matches at the Singapore indoor Stadium, including the decisive fifth men's singles against compatriot Stan Wawrinka which Federer won 6-4.
In the earlier tie, the Legendari Japan Warrriors - led by former world No. 1 Marat Safin - notched only their second victory of the IPTL season on Friday.
In the team's final tie of the campaign, the newest IPTL franchise defeated the Philippine Mavericks 29-15 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The Japanese side's only other victory came on Dec 10 against the Obi UAE Royals in New Delhi, the third stop of the five-leg, multi-city IPTL which concludes on Sunday in Singapore.
In the opening match, Safin defeated American James Blake 6-3 before Warriors team-mate Kurumi Nara of Japan beat Jarmila Gajdosova 6-1. The mixed-doubles pair of Leander Paes and Mirjana Lucic-Baroni then beat Gajdosova and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2 to give the Warriors a commanding lead.
Roger-Vasselin and Treat Huey got a win for the Mavericks in the men's doubles, edging Paes and Lucic-Baroni 6-5 (7-5).
In the final men's singles match, Pierre-Hugues Herbet beat Ivo Karlovic 6-3 to seal the victory for the Warriors.
