By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, August 9, 2023
Milos Raonic made his mark as considered one of this era’s most devastating servers.
The 32-year-old Raonic is reinforcing his repute as a exceptional returner this week.
Former world No. 3 Raonic continued his compelling comeback sweeping Taro Daniel 6-4, 6-3 to cost into the Toronto spherical of 16.
Raonic slammed 15 aces and received 26 of 29 first-serve factors and didn’t face a single break level scoring back-to-back ATP wins for the primary time because the 2021 Miami Open and incomes successive wins at his residence Masters for the primary time since 2016.
On he goes 🍁@milosraonic continues his spectacular week at residence with a 6-4 6-3 win vs Daniel!#NBO23 pic.twitter.com/6VQ9MPTcf8
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) August 9, 2023
Afterward, Raonic mentioned his present lofty stage of play is not far off from his finest stage.
“I don’t think it’s really that far off,” Raonic informed the media in Toronto. “I think for me the thing is not showing up, playing well, one, two, like, one match at a time, but tennis is 11 months, week after week. Like, that’s kind of the thing for me where it’s given me kind of physical issues.”
The former Wimbledon finalist believes he nonetheless owns the talents to compete with the very best, the query is can he keep wholesome sufficient lengthy enought to do it constantly?
“It’s never been a question so much of level,” Raonic mentioned. “It’s more been like, A, can I push myself physically to prepare the way I need to to be able to play well, and, B, when it comes to matches and stuff, can I be able to kind of withstand that load and that physical exertion kind of week in and week out.”
Less than 48 hours after Raonic ripped 37 aces beautiful Frances Tiafoe 6-7(12), 7-6(4), 6-3 in his opener, he was much more commanding conquering Daniel.
Sidelined for the previous two years with a littany of damage, the 545th-ranked Raonic is the fourth lowest-ranked man in historical past to achieve a spherical of 16 at a Masters 1000 occasion.
It was a robust efficiency that shocked Raonic himself and instills him with hope he can proceed to raise his stage when he meets American Mackenzie McDonald with a quarterfinal spot on the road.
“To be honest, after playing well in the first round, having not played many matches back to back in a very long time, I really didn’t expect to play that well today. I knew it would be difficult,” Raonic mentioned. “I know that that’s one of the more difficult things is that kind of picking stuff up and carrying it from one day to the next and having that continuity. So I was very aware of that kind of potentially being the case.
“But I believed I did issues fairly nicely, and I believe I can play higher tomorrow. So hopefully, I can construct off that.”
Crafting profession renaissance in Toronto, Raonic shared he is fueled by one other potential homecoming.
Talking with former coach John McEnroe lately, Raonic mentioned he is making a push for McEnroe to select up for the Team World squad that may defend its Laver Cup championship in Vancouver in September.
“When we speak, we speak about a lot of things. Tennis is probably the last thing we speak about between each other,” Raonic mentioned of McEnroe. “We get along on a lot of different topics, as well. And, you know, maybe just put some pressure on him that it wouldn’t be something that it would be something I would like maybe to play the Laver Cup in Vancouver. Could be a nice thing.”
Photo credit score: Robert Prange/Getty
Content Source: www.tennisnow.com