Roger Federer won his first title of the season on Sunday when he clinched the Estoril Open with a 7-6 (7/5), 1-2 win over Nikolay Davydenko who was forced to retire with a leg injury in the second set.
The Swiss, who suffered with glandular fever before January's Australian Open where he was relieved of his title by Novak Djokovic, broke his duck as he notched a 12th win against no defeats in his career series against the Russian world number four.
Federer had won the last of his 54 career titles in November at the Masters Cup in Shanghai. "It's great to win a title, it's fantastic," said Federer who has been working this week with Spanish coach Jose Higueras, a claycourt specialist.
"This will give me great confidence for the rest of the season having won my first clay tournament of the year."
The victory was his seventh on the surface and was obtained in challenging, blustery conditions. "These were the most difficult of the week," said the Swiss holder of 12 Grand Slam titles.
"It was cold as well as windy. This is not the best way to win a match and I'm sorry for Nikolay. But sometimes these things happen."
The world number one now travels to the Monte Carlo Masters after ending Davydenko's win streak at 11 matches, a run which included the prestigious Miami Masters title. "I bounced back and I'm playing well again considering the tough start to season," added Federer.
"I'm playing better. I'm very happy to have reacted to that situation, it's not easy. It's been a difficult start to the season, but hopefully from now it's going to be all easier."
Davydenko said he felt a muscle pain in his left leg late in the first set while moving sideways. After a medical timeout at the end of the set, the problem returned a few games later.
"When I ran to the left, I felt pain," said the Russian, who said he should recover in time to start his Wednesday match at Monte Carlo after treatment. "I tried to fight but I knew there was not much that I could do."
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