Anderson thrashes Nishikori to be on verge of ATP semis

"I'm happy with how I played, and it was good fun against Dominic", Nitto ATP Finals quoted Federer, as saying.

The subject had been raised by Julien Benneteau, a former Davis Cup player for France, who told Radio Monte Carlo that there was something "disturbing" about the way Federer has a business relationship with Tennis Australia - an investor in his Laver Cup exhibition event - while also being granted the cooler evening slot every time he plays in Melbourne.

Sometimes no practice makes ideal - for Roger Federer anyway.

"I was not feeling good to play such a match in front of such a big crowd and everything".

Nishikori broke again in the sixth game and kept his nerve, serving out for victory."I lost to him twice in the last two months so I played more aggressively and things started working, especially in the second set".

Kevin Anderson underlined his credentials as the man most likely to challenge Novak Djokovic at this year's ATP Finals with a brutal destruction of Kei Nishikori.

Earlier in the day, Japan's Nishikori, who beat Federer in the tournament opener, was hammered by Anderson.

Both will enter this one with points to prove, but Thiem needs to put in the performance of a lifetime and hope Anderson crushes Federer to have any realistic chance of progressing. Is that true? 'I think it plays different or it's definitely slower than I think the last three tournaments that I've played.

A Federer backhand up the line set up match point and Thiem's 34th unforced error - another volley into the net - ended the day's second one-sided contest.

"I'll do the same tomorrow because it worked", Federer said of deciding not to practise on Monday.

The 32-year-old debutant at the ATP's blue riband event won the first 11 games of the round-robin clash, before a relieved Nishikori finally got on the scoreboard with an angled victor.

"I don't really feel that I am in the mood during a World Tour Finals to discuss that topic, to be honest". He has two losses under his belt now at the O2 Arena though.

Federer will watch Thiem vs Nishikori closely and if results lean in his favour, he still has the improbable take of getting past Anderson.

Nishikori, whose strong run of form in the second half of 2018 included a U.S. Open semifinals berth, will meet world No. 8 Dominic Thiem in his next round-robin match.

Can Roger Federer keep up his newfound success at the 2018 ATP Finals in London?