Anderson
Loving the conditions
Chris Bowers London
After his impressive start to the ATP Finals on Sunday, Kevin Anderson today needs to produce similar if not better form when he faces Japan’s Kei Nishikori in his second round robin match.
Anderson could have been forgiven for expecting to play Roger Federer in his second match, a contest that always pits the two group winners or losers from the first round of matches against each other. But Federer was outplayed by the in-form Nishikori on Sunday night.
Having waited until the age of 32 to qualify for the eight-man year-ending finale, Anderson is revelling in his London odyssey. He put in an impressive practice session yesterday after his 6-3, 7-6 win over Dominic Thiem on Sunday, and feels the conditions are perfect for him.
“Obviously it’s indoor tennis, so the court is going to be on the quicker side, but it’s playing great,” he said. “It feels maybe a little bit slower than [at the last tour event in Paris, but all in all I feel pretty well-adjusted to conditions now. It’s definitely taking the serve nicely, but the ball still bounces up as well.”
Regardless of the outcome, Anderson will play Federer on Thursday in a repeat of their Wimbledon quarterfinal. But Federer cancelled a practice session yesterday, giving rise to concerns he is carrying an injury.
The top two in the four-man group go through to Saturday’s semifinals, so a win for Nishikori today wouldn’t end Anderson’s chances of progressing to the knockout stage, but a three-sets defeat would be better than losing in straight sets. Today’s winner is virtually guaranteed a place in the semis.
South Africa’s other representative, doubles player Raven Klaasen, precedes Anderson today.
Klaasen and his New Zealand partner Michael Venus face the seventh seeds Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya. Both pairs lost their opening matches.