Live Commentary: Roger Federer vs. Richard Gasquet - as it happened

Good afternoon. Roger Federer and Richard Gasquet will be heading onto the court at the O2 Arena in around 10 minutes' time as they both look to keep their ATP World Tour Finals hopes alive.

Federer will be looking to bounce back from his second defeat in three days at the hands of Novak Djokovic, while Gasquet has a three-sets loss to Juan Martin del Potro to put behind him. Realistically, whichever player does lose this afternoon would have to rely on other results later in the week if they are to make the semi-finals.

This will be the 13th meeting between these two players. The Swiss dominates their head-to-head record, winning 10 of their 12 previous matches, while Gasquet has not beaten the world number seven since 2011.

Earlier in the week, there was huge support in the crowd for Roger Federer. It looks like there's a good amount of Swiss flags about, but some French support too. Both players are just heading out of their dressing rooms so should be heading into the arena shortly.

Both of Gasquet's previous wins over Federer have come on the clay. Twice before the duo have met on indoor hard courts, with Federer wrapping up the match in straight sets both times. Gasquet will need to play his best tennis if he's to beat the six-time ATP World Tour Finals champion.

Gasquet is the first of the two players to make his way onto the court. As with his first match, it sounds like Federer has the majority of the support from the crowd, as he's greeted by loud cheers as he follows the Frenchman into the arena.

Gasquet has won the pre-match coin toss and elected to serve first. The players will have a couple of minutes to warm up before getting the match underway. Both players seemed a bit nervous during the formalities, avoiding eye contacted at the net, and keeping their hand shake brief.

Gasquets only previous appearance in the Finals came in 2007, when he failed to make it out of the round robin. He would not have reached the tournament this year had it not been for the back injury which has prevented Andy Murray from taking part. Meanwhile, Federer has won six of the last eight Finals, finishing as runner up on the other two occasions.

PREDICTION! Just before play gets underway, let's make a quick prediction. While Gasquet did stretch Del Potro earlier this week, I can't see him getting the better of Federer this afternoon. I think the 17-time Grand Slam champion will win in straight sets. The Frenchman is ready to serve.

It's a tidy opening service game from the Frenchman. Federer returns his first couple but Gasquet makes to good forehand winners, before his next two serves are hit into the net by the world number seven.

Gasquet is attacking hard from the back of the court, clinching the first couple of points with some strong cross-court backhands, but a long forehand at 30-0 allows Federer to take his first point of the match, and he follows it up with a strong forehand to level the game, before coming into the net to volley. After being taken to deuce, Federer manages to escape with his serve in tact courtesy of a well-timed forehand winner. Not the start that Federer would have wanted, but he gets the game on the board.

BREAK! Federer moves well around the back of the court, but puts too much on his forehand as the tries to bring up a couple of break points. However, he takes a 40-30 lead on the next point with a backhand volley, and manages to get the break when Gasquet misjudges a backhand, failing to get the ball back over the net.

Federer makes a much stronger start to his service game this time around, showing a full range of shots while volleying past Gasquet, before clinching a 40-0 lead with a drop shot. The Swiss sliced his forehand just wide while trying to wrap up the game, but a long return from the Frenchman off Federer's next serve secured the game. The six-time champion has wasted no time getting up to speed, as it looking really comfortable so far.

Gasquet has been struggling to get his first serves in since the opening game of the set, and his struggles continue, but his second serves deceive Federer, and he takes a 40-15 lead when his opponents smashes a couple of returns well long. Federer gets a point back, but a stunning backhand winner wraps up the game for the world number nine. The crowd seem to have quickly switched to support Gasquet. While the majority may be Federer fans, they clearly want to see a decent battle this afternoon.

It's too easy for Federer on serve at the moment, as he clinches his three hold in just over a minute. Gasquet is returning the Swiss's serve pretty well, but can't cope with Federer's backhand or ability to get into the net.

Gasquet looks to be in control of the game, taking a 40-15 lead, but Federer fights his way back in, reaching high to smash on overhead lob past his opponent, but an error on the next point from the former world number one keeps Gasquet in contention in this opening set. After a bit of a wobble earlier on, Gasquet's confidence appears to be back.

BREAK! Gasquet is right back in this set! Federer struggles at the start of the game, losing the opening point before serving a double fault, but he gets back into it with an ace. Gasquet tries to get into the net for the first time, forcing Federer to rush his shot, and he makes a mistake, bringing up two break points. Another ace saves the first, but he mis-hits a cross-court backhand, sending the ball well wide to give Gasquet to break back.

BREAK! As quickly as he gets himself back into contention, Gasquet is a break down again. Having looked so focused to break Federer's serve, the Frenchman can't find his rhythm, handing his opponent the game with a wildly struck backhand, which flies high before landing well long. Federer will serve for the opening set next.

Gasquet tries to disrupt his opponent by using up his challenges, but to no avail. An ace brings up three set points for the Swiss, and he converts at the first time of asking, as a big serve is returned well wide by the Frenchman.

It was a rather nervous opening set by both players. Federer started superbly, getting the early break, and looked the be threatening a second as Gasquet struggled to get his first serves in. However, the Frenchman got his concentration back and levelled before allowing Federer to gain the advantage back straight away.

BREAK! The frustrating thing with Gasquet is that when he's on form, he's sensational, but when he's struggling, he's really quite poor, and that's the case in the opening game of this set. Frankly, Federer had to do very little to get a 40-0 lead, before he seals the game and the break with a series of volleys close into the net.

Federer sets up a backhand winner by lobbing the ball deep into the court, leaving Gasquet scrambling to get back. He manages to get the return in, but it's a simple shot into an open court for Federer. Gasquet fights hard to keep himself in the game, but slices his backhand just wide. He challenges the call, but hawkeye shows that it was wide.

Everything seems to be such hard work for Gasquet as he battles to keep himself in this match. He struggles with his serve, giving Federer a series of easy returns to bring up another break point, but he manages to save it and force deuce. Finally, he digs deep to find a couple of solid serves, which Federer can't return, letting the Frenchman off the hook. The world number nine looks rather relieved as he returns to his seat ahead of the change of ends.

Gasquet starts the game well, clinching the opening couple of points, but Federer quickly levels. However, a sloppy backhand errors from the world number seven gives Gasquet a chance for the break, but the Swiss saves with an ace. After saving a Federer advantage, Gasquet has another chance for the break, set up by a superb yet rare volley, but Federer keeps himself in the game with a drop shot, before more mistakes from the Frenchman gift Federer the game. It's a big blow for Gasquet's chances in this match.

Gasquet has one of his more convincing service games of this set, racing to a 40-0 lead before Federer catches him out with a powerful forehand. The Frenchman manages to wrap it up though, as the Swiss sends his return straight to the net. Having come so close to getting the break back during the previous game, Gasquet must have been in a hurry to get another look at the Federer serve.

Gasquet looks focused as he clinched the opening couple of points, but Federer levels with his fifth ace of the match. However, another forehand errors presents Gasquet with another break point, but his backhand doesn't clear the net to bring up deuce, leading to a shout of frustration from the world number nine. Federer makes a decisive move, rushing into the net to make a volley and give himself advantage, before stretching Gasquet with a deep forehand, which he can't get back in play.

The game starts with little between the two players, as they split the opening four points, but a strong forehand from the baseline allows Gasquet to edge ahead, before Federer launches his forehand long. The Swiss's forehand has been uncharacteristically sloppy in this match.

Gasquet throws everything he has at Federer to take the game to deuce, before making a stunning return at full stretch which just clips the sideline to give him advantage, but Federer saves with a lobbed forehand before putting another ace past the Frenchman. Gasquet tries to lift his forehand over Federer to return the game to deuce for a fourth time, but there's too much behind the ball, which goes wide. Federer is just one game from his first win of the tournament.

More errors from Gasquet give Federer a match point.

Having saved the first, Federer sends down a backhand winner to give himself a second chance, but Gasquet fights hard to take the game back to deuce.

A double fault from Gasquet gives Federer another chance, but once again the Frenchman escapes, as the world number seven slices his backhand into the net. This has been quite a lengthy game now, with neither player seemingly able to close it out.

Finally Federer gets the job done, as Gasquet hits the ball with the frame of his racquet to give Federer his fifth chance the clinch the match. It was a far from flawless performance by the six-time champion, but it's enough to move him to the top of group B.

Federer will surely be keeping an eye on the score in this evening's match between Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro. Should Djokovic win, it will be a winner-takes-all clash between Federer and the Argentinian later this week. Incidentally, you'll be able to follow live coverage of that match from 8pm with Sports Mole.

That's all from the O2 Arena for now, but stick around for reaction to this afternoon's match, and join us again later for that meeting between Djokovic and Del Potro, which should be a highly entertaining battle. Until then, thanks for joining me this afternoon, goodbye.