Roger Federer and Kei Nishikori will take on each other on Day 3 of the ATP World Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London on Tuesday, after posting wins on the opening day.
Federer beat Milos Raonic of Canada a 6-1, 7-6 (0) in Group B on Sunday, while Nishikori saw off the challenge from hometown hero Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4.
With their head-to-head record tied at 2-2, Federer vs Nishikori is the match to watch out for on Day 3. Their record in meetings this season is also tied, with the Japanese star winning at the Miami Masters and the 17-time Grand Slam champion emerging on top in Halle.
Nishikori's aggressive baseline play, speed and movement on O2 Arena's hard court could pose some issues to Federer, though the Swiss maestro has enough class and experience to come out on top.
Federer, a six-time Tour Finals champion, is keen to clinch the title this year as it will help him recapture the world no.1 title from Novak Djokovic and finish the season atop the ATP Rankings after a long time.
The 33-year-old has had a good season this year, making it to the finals of Wimbledon and also posting semifinal appearances in both Australian and US Open. And the veteran is feeling confident after beating Raonic in the opener.
"I think I played really well for probably one and a half sets. It was good to get off to a good start like I did against him at Cincinnati and Wimbledon. I broke in the first game and sort of never looked back," Federer stated.
"Thankfully he didn't play quite so well like he did in Paris. He gave me a few shots here and there, especially at the beginning of the breaker. I think those were crucial. I was happy to bring it home because it was very close at the end of the second."
Nishikori, on the other hand, is enjoying his best ever season so far. The 24-year-old got his big break when he reached the US Open final, becoming the first Asian men's singles player to achieve the feat.
The Japanese, who is playing the Tour Finals for the first time, has now gotten off to a good start with an impressive win over Murray in front of the Brit's supporters.
"I was a little bit tight in the beginning, but I started feeling a little more confident in especially second set. I was very, very solid... I was a little bit surprised at how I played on the court: very confident. I'm looking forward to play the next match," Nishikori pointed out.
Where to Watch Live
Federer vs Nishikori will not start before 7.30pm IST (2pm GMT), with Ten Sports and Ten HD providing live coverage in India, while the match can also be watched via live streaming online on Ten Sports Live.
Viewers in the UK can watch the match live on BBC Two, Sky Sports 3 and Sky Sports 3 HD, while they can also catch the action live on BBC iPlayer or Sky Go. US viewers can watch the game live on Tennis Channel (subscription required) or online on Tennis Channel.
