ATP Finals: Roger Federer vs Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem vs Kei Nishikori
Watch Thursday's wide-open Group Lleyton Hewitt action along with doubles action, including Jamie Murray, from 12pm live on Sky Sports Arena and Main Event
Thursday 15 November 2018 15:58, UK
Roger Federer goes into his final round-robin match against Kevin Anderson with Group Lleyton Hewitt finely poised and his path to the semi-finals of the ATP Finals uncertain.
Such are the numerous scenarios available in Group Lleyton Hewitt that Federer could win against the South African and still have his hopes of a 100th career title dashed, while he could lose and yet make the final four.
Kei Nishikori, who defeated Federer in Sunday's opening group match, earlier faces Dominic Thiem, who despite having lost his opening two matches can also still qualify.
Victory for Federer and win for Thiem against Nishikori will ensure the 20-time Grand Slam champion finishes top of the group.
A straight-sets win coupled with a Nishikori victory in the same fashion would also see Federer finish above Anderson but should he win in straight sets and Nishikori win in straight sets then the semi-final spots would be defined by the highest percentage of games won.
After a disappointing start to his 16th appearance at the season finale, Federer hit some form against Thiem in a 6-2 6-3 victory ahead of his intriguing contest against Wimbledon finalist Anderson.
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The 37-year-old, who has only ever failed to qualify from his group once, is bidding to win a record-extending seventh title and first since 2011 but comes up against a confident opponent.
Anderson memorably defeated Federer from two sets down at Wimbledon this summer on his way to reaching his second Grand Slam final.
On his debut the 32-year-old South African has won both his matches in straight sets, describing his emphatic 6-0 6-1 win over Nishikori as one of the best in his career.
Nishikori will target a strong response to his heavy loss when he meets Thiem, who must win in straight sets and hope the other match goes in his favour to stand a chance of progressing, in the afternoon session.
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The pair have met on four previous occasions with the Japanese player leading the head-to-head 3-1, having come out on top in their most recent encounter on indoor hard in Vienna last month.
Nishikori has reached the semi-finals in two of his previous three appearances and started the campaign on the Challenger circuit has done well to qualify for the season-ending event.
Thiem, who reached his first Grand Slam final at the French Open in June, has won one group match in each of his two visits to The O2 but has failed to do enough to reach the semi-finals.
Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares booked their semi-final spot for the third year running on Tuesday and will complete the group stages against alternates Henri Kontinen and John Peers, who won the event in 2016 and 2017.
The doubles offering in the evening session will see Colombian duo Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah meet Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus in a match which will determine who will be the second pair to progress from Group Llodra Santoro.
Check our game-by-game coverage from all Group matches, semi-finals and final at the ATP Finals in London on skysports.com/tennis. We will have coverage of every match live on Sky Sports. See TV listings HERE.
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