Anderson ‘excited’ for Federer rematch

For the second time this year, South Africa’s top tennis player Kevin Anderson faces Roger Federer in London.

Four months ago, the two men played out a dramatic quarterfinal at Wimbledon, Anderson saving a match point after less than two hours and going on to win a 13-11 final set against the defending champion.

Now they face each other again in their final group match at the Nitto ATP Finals in the same city but a different tournament, on a different surface and in a very different set of circumstances.

In July they were playing for a place in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Depending on how the result of the match between Kei Nishikori and Dominic Thiem goes, it’s possible both Federer and Anderson can make it to Saturday’s semis here, as the top two in each group go through to the knockout stage of the tournament.

There’s still a mathematical possibility that, despite posting two wins this week, Anderson won’t make it through the group stage.

If Federer beats Anderson in straight sets in Thursday’s night match (10pm SA time) and Nishikori beats Thiem in two sets in the earlier game, Anderson, Federer and Nishikori would all have two wins.

It would then come down to the best percentage of games won, and while it’s possible Anderson could come third in that countback, the fact that he beat Nishikori 6-0 6-1 on Tuesday means it would take a mathematical miracle for him not to make it.

A single set against Federer would guarantee his place, and even two close sets won by Federer would almost certainly see Anderson through.

Anderson is relishing the chance to take on Federer again, especially as his own form is so good.

“It’s always a great challenge taking him on,” he said after his drubbing of Nishikori, “and it’s a great opportunity to play arguably the greatest player of all time, but I’ve played two really good matches so I’m excited to be facing him now.”

Federer was asked if Anderson’s marathon victory at Wimbledon would feature in his thoughts as he prepares for this match.

“I don’t think a whole lot,” he said.

“I played great against him for three sets, but after that he got tough, I blinked, and he was better at the end, so I don’t think I’ll go into this match thinking too much about that one. I’ve played well against him in the past, so I hope I can reproduce something like that.”

South Africa could well have two players in action on Saturday, as the country’s top doubles player Raven Klaasen could make it through to the last four of the doubles.

Klaasen and his New Zealand partner Michael Venus face the Colombians Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, knowing that a win would definitely see them through, but even a three-sets defeat might be enough depending on the result of the Murray-Soares v Mektic-Peya group match.

But with that match taking place in the afternoon, it means Klaasen and Venus will know what they have to do when they take to the court for the evening match at 8pm, and if Murray and Soares win, it would turn the Klaasen-Venus v Cabal-Farah match into a simple eliminator, with the winner going through to Saturday’s semifinals.

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