Raonic advances
Sends Belgian Goffin packing comfortably in straight sets
Toronto ( Canada), Aug. 7: Milos Raonic posted a second Canadian victory on Monday joining Peter Polansky in the second round of the ATP Toronto Masters.
Vasek Pospisil missed out on a local hat- trick in a night match as the Canadian lost to Croatian Borna Coric 6- 4, 6- 3 after a three- hour afternoon rain interruption.
Former Wimbledon finalist Raonic, ranked 29th due to an injury plagued 2017, won in his first match since going out in the Wimbledon quarterfinals to John Isner a month ago.
Polansky reached the second round for a third straight year, upsetting Australian world number 52 Matt Ebden 7- 6 ( 7/ 3), 64.
As in 2017, when Raonic ran into Roger Federer after winning his home opener, Polansky, who is ranked 121, will again face a Grand Slam champion, taking on 2014 US Open winner Marin Cilic, seeded sixth.
Raonic sent over his 15th ace as well as a doublefault as he served for the win against Goffin, who had no answer to the Canadian’s big game. Raonic won 6- 3, 6- 4.
The Belgian sent a return long to hand Raonic a match point, with the Canadian finishing it all off on his first chance as Goffin sent a forehand into the net after an hour and a quarter.
VENUS SAILS
Venus Williams advanced to the second round of the Rogers Cup after a 7- 5, 6- 1 victory over Caroline Dolehide on Monday.
The 14th- ranked Venus made quick work of her 19- year- old fellow American in the second set after coming from behind to win a back- andforth first set.
The seven- time Grand Slam champion will now face either Sorana Cristea or Monica Niculescu in the second round.
It looked like an upset was in the cards in the early going. The 124thranked Dolehide, who was making her Rogers Cup debut, jumped to a 3- 1 lead in the first set after breaking Venus' serve. One of just two teenagers in the main draw, Dolehide used her heavy service game and aggressive play to challenge Venus on every point. She finished the match with three aces. Williams had none.
Meanwhile, Rain moved into the area, interrupting two matches, including one in the first set between Russia’s Maria Sharapova and Bulgaria’s Sesil Karatantcheva. With Sharapova leading 4- 1 after 24 minutes of play, the match was delayed due to rain.