Roger Federer made it into the semi-finals of the tennis championship with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over South African Kevin Anderson 6-3 In the third round of the former Australian player Lleyton Hewitt.

Federer, who has been crowned 6 times, qualified for the first set, 6-4, and needed to win five games to book his place in the semi-finals for the 15th time in 16 games.

The Austrian Dominic Thiem, who had a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Japan’s Nishikori, needed Federer to lose in two clean sets without winning five games.

Thiem’s victory over Nishikori gave him the card to the next role with Anderson.

Thiem, 25, established fixture in the world’s top 10 over the past couple of years and, after reaching his first Grand Slam final at the French Open in June, came to the season-ending tournament looking to prove his credentials on a bigger stage once again.

But unlike Thiem, Nishikori knew he was already certain of elimination after his second defeat – no matter what happened between Anderson and Federer.

Since opening the tournament with a shock 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 win over Federer, the world number nine has looked a shadow of his usual self.

BBC Sport