Raonic sails into quarter-final bracket
ROGERS CUP
• Milos Raonic has a one-track mind this week. He is, in his own words, a man on a mission.
“It’s what I’m training for,” the Canadian said shortly after winning cruise-control style over 19-year-old American Jared Donaldson, 6- 2, 6-3, on Thursday night to reach the quarter- final round at the Rogers Cup.
It’s Raonic’s hometown tournament. He has fond memories of attending the Canadian Open as a child growing up in Thornhill, Ont., mere minutes from the Aviva Centre at York University.
As such, the world No. 7 who is seeded fourth here this week, said the tournament holds sentimental value and winning the event is “definitely one of the more significant achievements I’d like to reach.”
He is one step closer to that goal following his easy dismantling of Donaldson, which keeps Novak Djokovic firmly in his semifinal sightlines.
Frenchman Gael Monfils, his biggest test yet and the man standing between a Raonic- Djokovic showdown, fashioned a smile earlier in the day when it was put to him that he would likely be facing the big-hitting Raonic.
Monfils, seeded 10th, had just survived a marathon against David Goffin, winning 7- 6( 5), 2- 6, 6- 4, to score a minor upset over the seventh-seeded Goffin.
“I expect a very good match,” Monfils said as his would- be next opponent was practising on Centre Court. Just more than an hour later, that opponent, Raonic, lived up to his end of the bargain with ease. On Thursday night, it looked like man versus boy.
The Canadian flung rocket serve after rocket serve at his 147 thranked opponent, reaching in excess of 230 km/ h in an opening game that set the tone. Raonic finished the one hour, 10-minute clinic with 15 aces, while also displaying a deft touch around the net and a humdinger of a forehand, showcased in particular when he fired a huge winner down the line to make it 3-0.
Raonic finished with 81 per cent efficiency on first-serve points won while converting on three of eight break points as Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid and a companion looked on from the luxury seats on Centre Court.
Raonic and Donaldson had never met before. After that one, Donaldson might be OK if they never meet again.
“I’m doing things well and taking care of my own things. I’m creating some opportunities and, you know, I’m going for the shots,” Raonic said.
As solid as Raonic has looked through his opening two matches, Monfils, a sometimes- erratic but always entertaining player, could give the recent Wimbledon finalist all he can handle. Monfils is coming off his first tournament win of the season and biggest in his career, the Masters 500-level Citi Open in Washington last weekend, but fatigue could become a concern.
Monfils, the world No. 14, and Raonic are 2-2 in previous meetings, with the Canadian claiming the past two, both quarter-final affairs earlier this season on the hard courts at Indian Wells and at the Australian Open.
“I’ve got to play well. I’ve got to dictate,” said the 25- year- old Raonic, who reached the Rogers Cup final in 2013. “I’ve been able to get the better of him twice this year because I was controlling the court and taking time away from him, coming forward. He can do a lot of things and he can make you play a lot of balls, but if you sort of take the time away from him then you make it a little more difficult on him.”
That last final ( in 2013) was in Montreal. This one would be in Raonic’s backyard and crowd support should only swell as he chases that dream scenario.
“You know, I don’t mind,” Monfils said. “As I say, it’s like Davis Cup. I love to play when it’s crowded, and if the crowd is for the other one, it’s fine.”
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, South Africa’s Kevin Anderson, Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka, Japan’s Kei Nishikori and Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic also advanced.
I’VE GOT TO PLAY WELL. I’VE GOT TO DICTATE.