World number one Roger Federer has given his support to Andre Agassi after the US veteran was criticised for his early withdrawal from the Masters Cup Tennis Tournament.
Federer, the only top-five player left in the season finale after Agassi and Rafael Nadal added their names to the injury list, said the eight-time Grand Slam champion deserved credit for turning up.
Agassi was singled out by aggrieved organisers after he backed out with an ankle sprain following his straight-sets loss to Nikolay Davydenko.
The announcement came just minutes after Spanish sensation Nadal withdrew at the last minute with a foot injury.
The twin pull-outs brought the total number to five and prompted organisers to urge the ATP to re-think its hectic schedule to avoid another disaster next year.
Shanghai has spent 200 million dollars on the 15,000-seat Qi Zhong Stadium which will host the Masters Cup until 2007.
The tournament now features five replacement players and world number 14 Thomas Johansson has been brought in as emergency cover after both alternates, Mariano Puerta and Fernando Gonzalez, were called into action.
Marat Safin and Andy Roddick withdrew with injuries before the tournament started and Lleyton Hewitt is with his pregnant wife.
However Federer, himself returning from a six-week lay-off and playing with his right ankle strapped, said the tournament would still be a success.
Federer became the first player to qualify for the semi-finals late on Tuesday after a nail-biting three-set win over Ivan Ljubicic.
Later on Wednesday, Russia's Davydenko will play Safin's replacement, Argentinian Gaston Gaudio, while Puerta and Gonzalez will face off in a battle of the alternates.