Raonic, Dabrowski bounced from Aussie Open

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA Canadian Milos Raonic is done at the Australian Open, and is now facing another health concern.

France’s Lucas Pouille reached the Australian Open semifinals for the first time with a 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-7 (2), 6-4 win over the 16th-seeded Raonic, a major reversal of form at Melbourne Park after losing in the first round here in the previous five years.

After, the 28-year-old Raonic said he’s battling a knee injury and is expected to get it evaluated by doctors shortly.

“There’s damage inside my knee ... I’m trying to avoid potentially having to have surgery,” said Raonic, who has been hampered by injuries throughout his career.

That’s why Raonic wasn’t named to Canada’s Davis Cup team Tuesday for a clay-court tie in Slovakia Feb. 1-2. There’s still a chance he could enter after he consults with his medical team, but Raonic said switching surfaces quickly can be a risk.

Pouille entered the quarter-final 0-3 against Raonic in career meetings, but targeted the 2016 Wimbledon finalist’s second serve and was broken only once himself in the match.

Raonic got only 58 per cent of his first serves in, compared with 66 per cent for Pouille.

“I just didn’t take care of the things I needed to take care of,” said Raonic, who is 1-3 in Australian Open quarter-finals.

Pouille will next play six-time Australian titlist Novak Djokovic.

Meanwhile, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski’s bid for a second straight Australian Open mixed doubles title is over. The Ottawa native and Mate Pavic of Croatia, the top seeds, lost 6-1, 4-6, 11-9 to Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain and Neal Skupski of the United Kingdom in a quarter-final.

In junior girls play, No. 4 seed Leylah Fernandez of Montreal advanced to the quarter-finals.