FEDERER TOP OF THE WORLD KEVIN ENDS NISHIKORI RUN

ROGER FEDERER celebrated becoming the oldest man to reach the world No. 1 ranking by making the Rotterdam Open final with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) victory over Italy’s Andreas Seppi despite losing sleep watching early-morning coverage of the Winter Olympics. The 36-year-old Federer racked up his 14th win from 15 matches with 33-year-old Seppi, the world No. 81 who had enjoyed a memorable week in the Dutch port city by reaching the semifinals as a ‘lucky loser’. Federer said that despite not getting much sleep due to the excitement of his latest achievement – and draining more energy by watching the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics in the pre-dawn hours. “I felt OK today, maybe a bit heavy on court but I was aggressive,” the 20-time Grand Slam title winner said. Federer also dropped a big hint that he still might play the Dubai tournament, which begins a week from Monday. The seven-time winner of the Gulf tournament said that he will take a decision later in the week one way or the other. “It’s still open,” he said. SOUTH AFRICA’S Kevin Anderson ended Kei Nishikori’s hopes of a comeback victory at the New York Open, beating the Japanese fifth seed in three sets in Long Island. Top seed Anderson downed Nishikori 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a gruelling 2hr 11min semifinal and will now play America’s Sam Querrey in today’s final. Nishikori had been chasing a first ATP Tour victory after returning from a fivemonth injury layoff. However the 28-yearold was slow to start, with Anderson racing through the first set to go 1-0 up before Nishikori found his range in the second. Anderson’s reliable service game – he won 79% of his first serve points compared to Nishikori’s 60% – was to prove decisive in the third set tie-break. Nishikori dropped three service points in the tie-break, which 31-year-old world No. 11 Anderson duly punished to wrap up the win. Earlier, Querrey ended his long wait for a first victory over France’s Adrian Mannarino to book his place in the final.