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

Raonic loses to Monfils in Stockholm

Gael Monfils (FRA) came back from a set down to defeat Milos Raonic in the semi-finals at the If Stockholm Open, 6(6)-7 6-4 6-3.

Monfils was a little inconsistent in his second service game, which allowed Raonic to earn a couple of break points. But Monfils came up with some clutch serves to hold on and keep from falling behind early. The backhand from Raonic was looking good to start the match, both from the baseline and at the net. After double faulting and making a few loose errors, Raonic found himself down 14-40 to Monfils at 3-3. As we so often see, Milos relied on a few big serves and forehands to get to deuce. He would have to save another break point before getting out of that tough service game. In his usual style, Monfils was covering the court with reckless abandon and went to the ground on two occasions. This match was certainly living up to the expectations. At five games all, Monfils would open up a 0-30 lead on Raonic's serve, but Milos kept his cool and ran off four straight points to put the pressure back on his opponent. On set point in the tiebreak, Milos let a shot go that he could easily have put away. Instead, the ball landed on the baseline and gave a mini-break back to Monfils. But all was not lost as Raonic soon got the error from Monfils to win the tiebreak 8-6.

Monfils was clearly a little rattled after losing the tiebreak, and ended up dropping serve for the first time in the match early in the second. He would have  a chance to break back in the next game, but Raonic produced a timely serve and volley play to save break point. Despite his frustrations, Monfils wasn't going away. Raonic couldn't capitalize on the opportunity to go up a double break, and soon got broken himself after missing an easy one down the line. Monfils was fired up when he won his fourth game in a row, breaking Raonic again to take the second set. The free points on serve just weren't there for Raonic, so he wasn't able to be as dominant as he had been in previous matches. The aces were rare and the first serve percentage was barely above 50 for the second set. Throw in a few errors and you can't expect to hold serve against a Top 10 player like Monfils.

Raonic seemed to settle down at the beginning of the third set. His serve was looking steadier and he wasn't overhitting his shots as much (which is what I think got him into trouble midway through the second set). Monfils was solid as well, looking more confident as the final set progressed. Milos would have another less than stellar service game and was broken when he didn't put some points away when he had the chance. Monfils backed up the break with a hold at love, and everything seemed to be going his way since the latter stages of the second set. Raonic would at least make Monfils serve it out, which he did without too much trouble.

This match was very winnable from Raonic's standpoint. For a three set match, 9 aces for Milos is a little lower than we might have expected (and hoped for). More free points off the serve certainly would have made things easier for Raonic, especially in the second set. But Monfils is not the kind of player to give up those points without a fight. Raonic was certainly able to stay in front of Monfils without running up the ace count during the first half of the match, but Gael's athleticism and overall experience would eventually turn the tide in his favour. I can't help but think of the missed opportunity with Monfils serving at 2-4. Raonic opened up the 15-30 lead and had Monfils on the ropes at the net. But when it looked like Milos had a relatively easy shot to get two break points, he completely overhit a forehand and sent it well wide. That's when Monfils won four straight games to force a third set. From there, it was hard not to like Gael's chances in the deciding set.

It was an impressive comeback by Monfils, to be sure. It's just a bit of a disappointment for us fans because it looked like Raonic had things all wrapped up before paying the price for letting Monfils back in the match late in the second set. It was a great run to the semis for Milos though, which more than makes up for the early exits we saw in the last couple of tournaments.

-multi

Raonic continues to impress in Stockholm

Milos Raonic handily defeated Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) at the If Stockholm Open today, 7-5 6-4.

After a shaky service game to start the match, Dimitrov began to settle down and hold more comfortably. The first breaks points came with Dimitrov serving at 5-5 in the opening set. Raonic painted the line with a backhand winner to take the lead and earned the chance to serve for the set. Milos served up a couple of aces to hold at love and emphatically put the set away.

The break for Raonic came much earlier in the second set. Dimitrov didn't have an answer for Milos' booming serve, who cruised to victory with relative ease in straight sets. He didn't face any break points, and racked up 14 aces during the match. With the win, Raonic advances to his fourth semi-final of 2011. This is already a great result considering the tough first round losses in the last couple of weeks. But the run in Stockholm isn't over yet: Raonic will face either No.1 seed Gael Monfils (FRA) or No.5 seed Kevin Anderson (RSA) in the semis. That match goes later today after the other quarter from the bottom half of the draw is decided.

Update: Milos will face Gael Monfils in the second semi-final tomorrow. Sportsnet has announced that they will be streaming the semi-finals and final of the If Stockholm Open starting on Saturday at 7AM ET. You can watch it here. It should also be airing on Sportsnet ONE, not before 8:30AM ET.

-multi

Raonic through to quarters in Stockholm

Milos Raonic advances to the quarter-finals at the If Stockholm Open with a comfortable win over Philipp Petzschner (GER) in straight sets, 6-3 6-3.

Unlike yesterday's match with Baghdatis, Raonic was able to take the lead early in the first set. Petzschner never really challenged Milos on his serve and wasn't able to find a single break point. Looking at the stats, it's easy to see why. Despite the ace count being relatively low in the first set by Raonic's standards, Milos was nearly perfect winning points off his second serve. The chances just weren't there for the German.

The first half of the second set was a bit of a stalemate. The server was holding without much difficulty, until Raonic opened up the first break points of the set with Petzschner serving at 3-3. Milos converted on his second chance took the lead once again. From there it was business as usual, relying on the first serve to keep Petzschner out of the rallies. The backhand for Raonic wasn't very consistent during the match, but he still came up with a tricky passing shot as the German was serving to stay in the match. If you were watching, you know the point I'm referring to. That shot was enough to keep Milos in the service game, which ultimately lead to him getting the second service break to win the match on a high note without having to serve it out.

This match didn't have the same tension as the previous one, as Petzschner couldn't defend against Raonic's booming serve and forehand. The German literally didn't stand a chance: he wasn't able to earn a break point at any point during the match. Milos didn't make any mistakes on his first serve in the second set, winning 100% of those points. It's a little surprising that he "only" hit 7 aces, but he was so good when landing his first serve in that it didn't really matter. This was really good stuff from Raonic, who gave a dominating performance in front of his father as he watched from the stands with Coach Blanco.

Raonic's opponent in the quarter-finals will either be Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) or Grigor Dimitrov (BUL). Their second round match will be decided tomorrow, so it appears that Milos will have a day off before he has to play again.

It certainly looks like the headband is working for Milos. That, and the consistent indoor conditions seem to suit the Canadian perfectly. It's truly exciting to see Raonic back on form and getting the wins.

UPDATE: Milos Raonic will face Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals in Stockholm tomorrow.

-multi

Raonic outlasts Baghdatis in Stockholm

Milos Raonic defeated 2009 Champion Marcos Baghdatis in the first round of the If Stockholm Open today, 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-4.

Raonic's game seemed perfectly suited to the fast and predictable indoor hardcourts. The serve was most effective when Milos had to find his way out of trouble, keeping his emotions in check while still being able to hit big. The heavy groundstrokes were certainly working for Raonic, dictating play and keeping Baghdatis on the run. Break chances were something of a rarity during the first set, with each player only able to earn one each and neither being able to convert. When it came down to a tiebreak, Raonic again had to rely on his serve to get him out of a tight spot and put the first set away.

With Baghdatis serving at 2-3 in the second, Raonic hit a perfect backhand up the line to earn to the first break points of the set. Baghdatis won four points in a row from 15-40 to keep the match break-free. Raonic continued to hit his forehands with a lot of pace, racking up the winners while keeping the errors under control. Baghdatis was applying some serious pressure with Milos serving at 5-5, but Raonic kept his cool and served his way to safety yet again. Surprise: another tiebreak! Milos got the first mini-break advantage, but Marcos got on a roll after hitting a spectacular forehand on the run when it looked like he was totally out of the point. This match was going the distance.

It wouldn't have been shocking if the match carried on without any service breaks and into a deciding tiebreak. But at 2-2 in the third, the unthinkable happened: Milos got the break. Not only did he take the lead, but he promptly followed it up with a hold at love. Truly impressive. On top of that, Raonic held at love again serving at 4-3. Raonic wasn't the greatest at the net throughout the match, but he made up for it on match point by holding his ground and using every inch of his reach to keep the ball in play and force the error from Baghdatis.

Raonic faced one break point, which came in the first set. Baghdatis saved the first four break points against him, but not the fifth. There wasn't a whole lot between the two during the match, but that break was absolutely crucial. I'm sure neither player wanted to try their luck in another tiebreak. Also, Milos hit 22 aces. He's back. It helps to be playing indoors. We may see the return of the '20+ Aces = Win' rule in this tournament.

In other news, the more astute viewer may have noticed that Milos was sporting a stylish Lacoste headband during the match. Thoughts? Perhaps more importantly, Raonic had a strip of kinesio tape running up the inside of his right leg from his knee to his thigh. This is usually just a preventative measure for muscle strains or hyper-extension.

Raonic will face Philipp Petzschner in the secound round on Wednesday. Petzschner defeated Raonic earlier this year on grass in Halle, where the German made a run to the final in front a home crowd. Look for Milos to even up the head to head record with some blistering serves on the indoor hardcourt.

-multi

Raonic loses to Ferrer in Shanghai

In their third meeting this year, David Ferrer defeated Milos Raonic at the Shanghai Rolex Masters in straight sets, 7-5 7-6(7).

This was actually a close match that could have easily swung in Raonic's favour. Milos had the break advantage in the first set but couldn't hold on to it. Ferrer was perfect on break points, converting both of his chances to overtake Raonic and capture the first set. It was a similar story in the second, with Raonic taking the lead and Ferrer having to fight to get back on serve. Milos even had a set point in the tiebreak but couldn't capitalize on the chance.

With Milos serving well, hitting 11 aces and not a single double fault, he had a real chance to take Ferrer to a deciding set. But the pitbull's persistence paid off in the end, as it often does.

The good news is that Milos will be playing in Stockholm next week, which is a 250-level event played indoors on a hardcourt. There he will join the likes of Juan Martin del Potro, Gael Monfils, and Robin Soderling, who is looking to make his own comeback from illness and injury. The indoor hardcourts have been kind to Raonic in the past (remember San Jose), so look for the serve to be cracking in Sweden next week. Milos may even be seeded in the Top 8 for the tournament, but we'll have to wait for the official draw to be sure.

-multi

Raonic through to 2nd Round in Shanghai

In the first round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters, Milos Raonic defeated Michael Llodra (FRA) for the third time this year, 6-7(2) 6-2 7-6(5). Raonic will face David Ferrer (ESP) in the next round tomorrow.

Raonic rallied after losing the first set in a tiebreak to defeat Michael Llodra in Shanghai today. There were no breaks of serve in the first set, though Raonic had to save 3 break points just to stay with Llodra. The Frenchman won 91% of his first serve points during the set, preventing Raonic from earning any break chances against him.

Things began to pick up for Milos in the second, breaking his opponent twice while remaining steady on his serve. Each player was broken once in the third, and a tiebreak was needed to decide the match. Raonic edged out Llodra in the breaker who had as many double faults (5) in the third set as Raonic had aces.

Next up for Raonic is the No.3 seed David Ferrer. If you remember back at the Australian Open, it was Ferrer who ended Raonic's run at the first major of the year in the Round of 16. That match required four sets, but Ferrer easily dispatched Raonic again in straight sets at Monte Carlo just a few months later. Obviously it'll be another tough test for Milos as he assesses his progress on the comeback trail.

EDIT: There has been some slight confusion as to whether Sportsnet will show live coverage of the Raonic vs. Ferrer match. As of right now, it appears that it will be shown on tape delay as per usual. Sportsnet tweeted that they will post the time that his match will air on Wednesday -- so be sure to follow their twitter feed for updates.

-multi

Raonic out of Rakuten Japan Open

For the second year in a row, Rafael Nadal defeated Milos Raonic in the second round of the Rakuten Japan Open in straight sets, 7-5 6-3.

The first set was quite close, with Raonic serving extremely well. The serve was always going to be the key to the match for Raonic, especially against Rafa who has a greater chance of winning the points as the rallies become longer. The danger with this strategy is that it only takes a slight lapse in concentration to give Rafa a chance to do some damage. Milos did well to keep the majority of the points short on his serve and was able to keep Nadal at bay, albeit only temporarily. As is often the case with the best players in the world, Rafa was able to raise his level of play just as Raonic let up slightly while serving at 5-6. Nadal converted the first and only break point chance of the first set the snatch the set away before getting into a tiebreak.

From there, Raonic began to show signs of frustration. The forehand wasn't as consistent as it needed to be, and the few times he came to the net left something to be desired. Nadal only needed one break point to take the lead in the second, and continued to hold relatively comfortably to win the match. Raonic didn't earn a single break chance against Nadal, and was only able to get to deuce once on Rafa's serve.

The match wasn't a walkover by any means, and Raonic did have some looks against Nadal. After the match, Nadal said that Raonic's serve was "impressive, especially at the beginning of the match." Unfortunately, the sharpness and match readiness in the other aspects of his game just weren't there for Raonic. That will come back with time.

Luckily, we won't have to wait long to see Raonic in action again because the ATP Masters 1000 event in Shanghai is coming up next week. According to their schedule, Sportsnet ONE will begin coverage of the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Monday, October 10 at 9AM ET. Hopefully Roanic will have a slightly more forgiving draw in Shanghai. Running up against Nadal in the second round of your first tournament back isn't exactly the easiest way to build some momentum after returning from injury.

-multi

Raonic Begins Comeback With A Win

Milos Raonic, in his first ATP Tour match since June, defeated Yuichi Sugita (JPN) in the first round of the Rakuten Japan Open, 6(4)-7 6-3 7-6(1).

This match did not appear to be streamed live anywhere online, so we were left with watching the live scores ticker to get an idea of how the match was playing out. Raonic seemed to have the edge early on, earning the first break of the match to go up 3-2 on his serve in the first. Sugita would immediately break back and take the set to a tiebreak. The Japanese wildcard jumped out to an early lead and eventually put the first set away.

Raonic would register the only break of serve in the second set converting a lone break point, later having to save one himself to maintain the lead. The third set was close. Raonic served extremely well in the final set, notching 7 aces and hitting 83% of his first serves. Neither player was able to earn a break chance, resulting in the set having to be decided in a tiebreak. Raonic dominated the breaker, emphatically closing out the match by nearly shutting Sugita out of the tiebreak.

One thing we can say for sure about the match is that Raonic was generally serving well. The first serve dipped slightly in the second, but he still managed to win that set by a single break. Raonic also a racked up a total of 16 aces, a promising sign on a hardcourt. Perhaps the key takeaway from this match is that Milos was able to rally from a set down to win in three sets. Compare this to his Davis Cup loss to Amir Weintraub where Raonic won the first set, only to lose the following three. It's hard to make a direct comparison between these matches since I wasn't able to watch the match with Sugita live, but it could be an indication that Raonic may have tried to come back a little too quickly for Davis Cup. Raonic says he's looking "forward to [the] challenge" of playing Nadal, and that it should be a good test for how the comeback is progressing.

The biggest comeback obstacle for Raonic is his opponent in the Round of 16: Rafael Nadal. We saw this coming when we first had a look at the draw, provided Milos was able to get through his first round match. Rafa had an easy time in his opener winning 6-3 6-2 over Go Soeda, another Japanese wildcard. Raonic vs Nadal: Tokyo Showdown - Part Deux will be played on Thursday, or more accurately, "tomorrow night" if you're in North America. Here is the order of play for "today".

We may have more luck watching the second round match, since there should be coverage streaming online by then. The only problem is accounting for the time zone difference. I wasn't able to stay up to "watch" the end of the match on live score ticker last night, and Raonic was first on court! It should be easier to get up for a match with actual video. It isn't very often you get to see Raonic take on the likes of Rafa Nadal.

-multi