Milos Raonic – Canada Fan Blog an (unofficial) blog about tennis and Canadian player Milos Raonic

21Jan/12Off

Match Live Updates Feed – Raonic vs. Hewitt on Rod Laver, 21 Jan 2012

Again, I'll be posting the updates as the match goes along here.  Update: Here's a thumbnail that links to the Globe and Mail article it came from.  It show's that awesome yellow shirt he sported in front of the huge crowd at Rod Laver Arena.

photo: Andrew Brownbill/The Associated Press

 

5:10 AM, EST

So by the time I dragged myself out of bed the first set was still on serve, and Raonic put it away with some hyper-serves to make it 3-3.  In the time I went to get a glass of orange juice, Raonic had broken.  With Raonic serving for the set, the commentator notes that he has the 6 fastest serves in the tournament, and 5 of them have come so far in the match.  Raonic took that game at love with some short rallies producing some winners.  1st set to Raonic, 6-4.

Raonic 6
Hewitt 4

5:18

So the first set seemed to be dominated my Milos in 38 Minutes, with Hewitt unable to serve and ace and apparently not in danger of breaking our man.  Hewitt came out firing in the first game of the 2nd set, as he served his first ace and brought it to 40-15 before putting it away.

Raonic 6 0
Hewitt 4 1

Here's the stats from the first set:

 

1st-set-stats-raonic-hewitt-21-jan-2012-australianopen.com-gif
1st-set-stats-raonic-hewitt-21-jan-2012-australianopen.com-gif

5:25

Milos is wearing a VERY bright yellow shirt in the regular, famous Lacoste tennis shirt style with his SAP logo on the right arm.  He continues to impress on Lleyton's serve, but he did hold to make it:

Raonic 6 1
Hewitt 4 2

5:30

Still on serve now at 2-2, about 15 minutes into the 2nd set.  Still scouring the Internet to see if anyone's snapped a shot of Raonic's bright yellow shirt so I can post it here...

5:35

Raonic is doing his usual best at keeping the rallies short and putting pressure on Hewitt's serve.  He brought it to 30-30, and then with a little longer rally earned a break point.

5:36

Hewitt served a stinger that Milos wasn't able to return, and followed it up with some superb net play to get a game point to hold and keep the set on serve.  Milos brought it back to deuce with a power backhand though.

5:45

Still on serve here in the 2nd set.  Apparently my infant daughter wanted to get up early to watch tennis too so I've had to get get her to watch beside me.  I think she likes Milos' yellow shirt.

Raonic 6 4
Hewitt 4 3

5:48

This looks like the best chance Lleyton has had to break so far, though he made an error to bring it back to 30-30 before Milos made his own error to give a Hewitt a break point.  On an overhand smash from the back of the court, Raonic gave Hewitt the break, though Milos thought it was close enough to use a challenge, leaving him with one remaining.

Raonic 6 3
Hewitt 4 5

5:53

Raonic hit a couple more errors, including a backhand over Lleyton's baseline just now, to give Hewitt a couple of set points.  It's unfortunate, but it looks as though a lapse of a few minutes is being well capitalized upon by Hewitt, as another long backhand error gives Hewitt the 2nd set.  He doesn't look as bothered by his string of errors as he did versus Petzschner.  Let's hope Milos can come back at full speed in the 3rd.

Raonic 6 3
Hewitt 4 6

5:57

Milos started the first game with an ace, but put an error into the net to keep it at 15-15.  It seems the commentators are crediting Hewitt with the errors that Raonic is making... they've also said that Milos has had trouble keeping his composure when things weren't going his way during his rise over the past year - I'm not sure which player keeps his composure much better than Raonic...  I think our announcer is confused.

6:02

Both players hold to make it 1-1 in the 3rd.

6:05

With Lleyton unable to put a ball in play in the entire game, Raonic holds at love.

Raonic 6 3 2
Hewitt 4 6 1

On serve...

6:08

Hewitt held to make it 2-2.

6:10

Milos seems a little tense again, 15-30 in the 5th game...

6:12

Milos put another error long to give Hewitt another break point.  2nd serve...

6:13

And it was Hewitt's turn this time, with an error into the net.  Another break point for Hewitt.  2nd serve for Raonic...

6:14

This time Hewitt tried to pass Milos down the line.  Milos got to it, but wasn't able to get it over the net, and Hewitt is up a break again... this time in the 3rd set.

Raonic 6 3 2
Hewitt 4 6 3

6:19

Raonic just played his best return game of the match by far...  earning 0-40, apparently throwing Hewitt off enough that double-faulted t0 give the break back.  On serve in the 3rd with Milos' ace count at 12.

6:24

Another touchy service game from Raonic, but he put it away with some great play when it counted after hitting deuce.

6:48

Both players holding on until the tie-break, and when I pick up the match again it's on serve, 2-2 with Raonic serving, in the 3rd set tie-break.

6:50

Still on serve until Raonic makes a double fault to give away the first mini-break.  He has to serve a 2nd serve again in the next point, and eventually put another error wide to give Hewitt three set points and eventually the 3rd set to make it 2 sets to 1.  I missed the details as I had to leave the room, but apparently he saved two set points before succombing 7-5 in the tie-break.

Raonic 6 3 6
Hewitt 4 6 7

7:45

Trying a couple of times to put my daughter down for a nap (unsuccessfully - seems she wanted to watch Milos as well!), I just finished watching an elated Hewitt give his post-match interview - what an amazing match it turned out to be.  In the 3rd set, Milos seemed to lose his focus again for games 4 and 5, giving up the break.  They stayed on serve until it was time for Hewitt to serve out the match.

They both had oppourtunities to put it away, and probably 6 or 7 deuce points.  A great lob put it away at the end, with Milos chasing it down and turning but hitting it into the net.  For Hewitt, it was probably the biggest moment for him in recent years - but for Milos, playing in the packed 15,000-seat stadium against such a tennis legend in Australia, it must have been surreal.  It probably felt like a close leafs game at ACC when they're about to win (rare - but it's happened).

Awesome work Milos, many more opportunities to play even bigger matches in future, I see for you (now perhaps I'll have time to watch those Star Wars Blu-Rays)...

--wacb

Posted by wacb

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  1. Sorry to see Milos loose to L.Hewitt. No shame in loosing to a former #1 and current worthy opponent. I don’t know whether Milos experiences lapses of concentration and/or his calm exterior masks an internal turmoil that prevents him from playing a more consistent match. Then again it could just be lack of experience. It’s most likely all those things. Hard work to improve the areas of his game which are weak can only take him higher in the standings. Good luck to Milos in his future tournaments.

    • I think experience is a big part of it… for example, I didn’t realize this but the announcer that I was listening to today mentioned the only 5-set match he’d ever played was in his Davis Cup tie. We look at the skill and the ranking and the power, which we all associate with much more experienced players – but he’s definitely got a lot further to go to reach his potential. And I predict that when he does reach that potential, it will be awesome : ) .


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