So that’s that, then. Nishikori wasn’t quite at his best, but Federer wasn’t far off, and even so this was a better match than the scoreline suggests. I’ll be back later to see if Andy Murray can breathe life into his tournament against Milos Raonic. See you then, I hope. Bye!

Roger Federer talks!

I was expecting a very difficult match, Kei has shown how well he can play this year. I always thought he was a great talent, he’s very quick, has got a great game and has a great future. I think he can play better, but it’s an important victory in the group and I’m very pleased with my game today.

I’m looking forward to playing Andy Murray. We’ve got a very even head-to-head, we’ve played great matches - Olympic finals, Wimbledon finals. It’s always a pleasure playing against him. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to watch him tonight – I’ve got kids, and it’s during a time when I’m normally putting people to bed, but we’ll see.

Second set: Federer 6-3, 5-2 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) Federer wins the second point of the match at the end of an excellent rally, both players excelling until the Swiss makes it to the net and Nishikori, in his effort to get the ball past him, sends his crosscourt backhand into the net. He wins the next point with a bullet backhand down the line, and loses the next two with crosscourt backhands, both of which also hit the net. That’s break point, with all three Federer points the result of netted crosscourt backhands. It’s saved with a strong first serve, as is a second – Nishikori’s first ace of the day – but he very emphatically fails to repeat the trick again, double-faulting to surrender the game, his fifth of those. Federer will serve for the match, with two breaks in hand. On the plus side, this match has already lasted a good five minutes longer than either of yesterday’s.

Second set: Federer* 6-3, 4-2 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) There’s another longish rally, Nishikori clearly deciding that if Federer’s going to beat him he should at least be made to sweat in doing so. There’s also another super topspin lob, his second of the match and even better than the first. But the wind is in Federer’s sail here, and he holds to 30.

Second set: Federer 6-3, 3-2 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) At 30-30 the pair trade crosscourt baseline blows for a while, before Federer tries a down-the-line winner and misses. Probably the longest rally of a match that hasn’t been full of them. The Swiss then stumbles at game point, and sends a forehand into the net.

Second set: Federer* 6-3, 3-1 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) Nishikori wins the first point with a brilliant down-the-line backhand, just to keep Federer on his toes, but he’s being too inconsistent here. For example, when Federer hits a poor drop volley, Nishikori chases it down but then misses the court. That gives Federer game point. Which he wins.

Second set: Federer 6-3, 2-1 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) Broken! Federer scents blood, and he pounces. A few brilliant groundstrokes later he’s 15-40 up and though Nishikori saves the first break point, he gives away the second, all wrapped up and tied with a bow, by sending a straightforward shot from the middle of the court inexplicably long.

Second set: Federer* 6-3, 1-1 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) Whatever Federer was having while Nishikori was having whatever the physio gave him, I want some of that too. He too holds to love, none of the points lasting more than a few seconds. Easy.

Second set: Federer 6-3, 0-1 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) I don’t know what the physio gave to Nishikori, but I want some. He holds to love, wrapping the game up with an excellent crosscourt backhand.

A bit of a delay here, while Nishikori receives some treatment to his right wrist. It’s not going to stop him.

First set: Federer 5-3 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) Nishikori is coming to the net more and more, and it seems to be working – he holds to 15, with a fine drop-volley to set up game point before Federer pushes his return long.

First set: Federer* 5-2 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) The most straightforward game of the match so far, which sees Federer set up game point with his fourth ace of the day so far (Nishikori’s still stuck on 0), followed by a strong, wide first serve and shoulder-high put-away. Held to love.

First set: Federer 4-2 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) High-speed, high-quality tennis here from both players. Federer has another break point, which Nishikori comes to the net, following in a fabulously deep crosscourt backhand into the corner, to win, and in the end the last two points both end with the Swiss hitting into the net.

First set: Federer* 4-1 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) This is fun. Nishikori wins a point with a splendid topspin lob, but then slips at 15-30 to hand Federer the point, and gives away the next two as well with a forehand and then a backhand that both go a couple of inches long. He’s getting good depth on his groundstrokes, but the margin for error is small.

First set: Federer 3-1 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) Federer breaks! Nishikori serves wide to Federer’s forehand, and the Swiss somehow sends it wide of the net and back into play, prompting gasps from the audience. He then sends his next shot into the top of the net, which is a pity, but it’s a rare moment of weakness. He hits a brilliant forehand crosscourt passing shot to bring up break point, and a brilliant inside-out crosscourt forehand to win it.

First set: Federer* 2-1 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) Nishikori wins the fourth point of the game with an excellent return down the line and then, Federer having stylishly reached it, a killer backhand that landed on almost precisely the same spot, making it 30-30. Then Federer sends a backhand drop-volley wide to bring up the first break point of the match, which he saves with an ace, and he has to save another before the game’s over. A difficult hold, with four deuces along the way, and Nishikori is playing encouragingly well already.

First set: Federer 1-1 Nishikori* (*denotes player who’s just served) More sparring here, but Nishikori’s always in charge of the game and wins it with an unreturnable serve down the middle.

First set: Federer* 1-0 Nishikori (*denotes player who’s just served) A couple of early errors from Federer give Nishikori a glimpse of glory at 15-30, but two good wide serves later it’s game point, which Federer wins after Nishikori scoops a second-serve return long.

The players have warmed up and are now having a final few moments to compose themselves. Deep breath.

Roger Federer has won the toss and chosen to serve.

Incidentally, the coaches’ head-to-head record reads Michael Chang (in Nishikori’s corner) 9-12 Stefan Edberg (in Federer’s).

And a little pre-match chat with Roger Federer:

On Stefan Edberg: I think just being there, inspiring, motivating, just hearing him talking about tennis and about life has been really good for me.

On Nishikori: It’s clearly a very different match than against Milos, but of course it’s nice being in the second match, you feel you know the court a little bit better. Kei’s fast, stays on top of the baseline, doesn’t miss much, it’s going to be an interesting match for me. He’s a nice guy with a great future ahead of him, so it’s a great test for me.

The players are strolling down their dingy corridor. First, a little interview with Kei Nishikori:

I was playing really well first match. Playing Roger, I’m very excited. I love to play Roger so I’m very excited. I’ve beaten him twice already. I try to play with confidence and play my good tennis.

Hello world!

After two disappointingly one-sided, sub-one-hour matches yesterday, I’m hoping we can have a couple of more closely-fought encounters today. Certainly the four previous meetings between these players offer plenty of encouragement, the players currently tied 2-2 in their head-to-head, though their one meeting indoors, in Basel three years ago, was a pretty one-sided victory for Roger Federer.

Their first meeting this year, at the World Tour Masters in Miami in March, saw Nishikori come from behind to win in three sets. “I think Kei does really well controlling the ball,” Federer said after that match. “He has great technique, especially on the backhand, very simple, very short back swings, so he does a really nice job of having good timing. I predict he’s going to be Top 10 in a short while.”

Nice prediction. Nishikori has had a fabulous year, starting it ranked No17, breaking into the top 10 briefly in May and then again in September and continuing to rise since, hitting a career high of No5 at the start of this month after reaching the semi-finals in Paris. Then, of course, he beat Andy Murray 6-4, 6-4 in his first match here, while Federer beat Milos Raonic 6-1, 7-6. This could be a fine match.