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Milos Raonic - przegrane finały (4):
2013 (1) ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Montreal
2012 (2) Tokio, Memphis
2011 (1) Memphis

TOP 10 PAYOFF FOR PATIENT RAONIC

Milos Raonic becomes the first Canadian to break into the Top 10 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, rising three spots to No. 10 following his history-making run at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal.

The 22-year-old Toronto native celebrated his new status upon his arrival Monday in Cincinnati for the Western & Southern Open, sharing that it took patience and faith that a big result would come. Prior to reaching his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final last week, Raonic had compiled a 5-7 match record from May, winning back-to-back matches only when he reached the third round at Roland Garros.

"The thing in tennis, and I think in every sport, you just don't know when that payoff is going to be," he said. "So I was making sure to keep doing every day and every week the right kind of effort and the right kind of focus and the right kind of determination, the work...

"I think last week the work was done, and I think also with that whole situation of in that crowd, I think it helps you in those tougher moments just sort of getting through them. So I think that sort of got the whole process moving in the right way, and then I think just pieces started coming together more and more. I think that's sort of helped with the outcome of the week."

Though his new game plan is being more aggressive, Raonic said he wouldn't be going to the serve and volley full-time, claiming, "I don't know if it's possible. I think it's definitely difficult with how well the top guys - Novak, Rafa, Andy, Roger, Ferrer - how well everybody returns nowadays."

Instead, Raonic plans on using the technique as a surprise and as a means to keep constant pressure on his opponents.

"It is incorporating that more, keeping that element of doubt in my opponents on what I might do after the serve," he said. "So it's not just about getting the serve back. It's about when the opportunities come even throughout points when I'm returning, on the first opportunity to go forward, the first opportunity to be aggressive, sort of being able to recognise and go forward and not hesitating and sort of letting opponents get back into the points."

Raonic picked up a few pointers on using the serve and volley effectively when he faced off against his idol, Pete Sampras, in an exhibition match.

"I remember one of the most impressive things about the way he serve and volleyed was how quickly he was with the first two steps after a serve. Every single volley was always hit in front of the service line, and I think if you are getting stuck hitting volleys behind the service line, it's just too difficult. I think that's a key thing."

Raonic plays his first match as the World No. 10 on Tuesday, when he faces off against American wild card Jack Sock.

@milosraonic (Milos Raonic)
Last nights dinner on the beach in San Remo because we didn't want to wait for a table! @sirola11 @ozonjuan pic.twitter.com/myFbjcIGfh

RAONIC DOWNS BERDYCH TO CLAIM BANGKOK CROWN


Raonic improved his FedEx ATP
Head2Head record over Berdych to 2-0

Canada's Milos Raonic stepped up his bid to qualify for November's Barclays ATP World Tour Finals by toppling top seed Tomas Berdych to claim the Thailand Open title in Bangkok on Sunday.

The third-seeded Raonic defeated Berdych 7-6(4), 6-3, prevailing in one hour and 17 minutes. The right-hander fired 18 aces to his opponent's four, saved the only break point he faced and won 95 per cent of first serve points.

"I think I struggled a lot more than him at the beginning, he was finding his rhythm better," said the World No. 11. "In the tie-break, it just came down to one return and playing pretty sold after that... I started being more aggressive."

He is now just 180 points behind tenth-placed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Emirates ATP Race to London. Both Raonic and Tsonga are competing in Tokyo next week.

"It would mean a lot, it was a goal," Raonic said, referring to his hopes of qualifying. "After [the] clay and grass [seasons], it seemed very distant... I've put a lot of good results together."

Raonic improved his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against Berdych to 2-0 and captured his second title of the season following a third straight win in San Jose (d. Haas). He improved his record in ATP World Tour finals to 5-4 and lifted his career record against Top 10 opponents to 12-20.


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Raonic beat the top two seeds and Top 10 players in the semi-final and final rounds for the second time en route to a title, having done so in Chennai last year. He's the highest-ranked player aged under 23 years old in the Top 50, and believes he can continue to improve.

"I think I'm playing great tennis, I'm serving really well, I'm doing a lot of good things. If I keep that up I think I'll have opportunities and will put myself in a good position, no matter who ," Raonic said.

The Czech's loss leaves him as the only player within the Top 10 not to have won a title this season.

"He was exceptional. He was serving really well and didn’t give me many chances," said Berdych. "Basically, the match was about two points. Both of them Milos handled better and so he deserved to win."

@milosraonic (Milos Raonic)
A great week for me! Thank you to everyone for the support. We celebrated with brownies! pic.twitter.com/r9Yx9XkMcM

DUN I LOVE pisze:Bardzo dobra selekcja uderzeń, coraz lepsze poruszanie się po korcie, liczne przyspieszenia od razu po koźle, zalążki taktycznej gry na małe kara, nawet wygrywający slajs po krosie się trafił - coraz sprawniej myśli przy siatce. Naprawdę znakomicie się patrzy na to ulepszane wydanie Raonicia.

Milos Raonic fired a warning to his rivals, including Tsonga, who are battling to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in November.

Raonic, who trails eighth-placed Stanislas Wawrinka by 545 points in the Emirates ATP Race To London, recorded his 16th win in his past 20 matches for a place in the second round.

“I know that I have a long way to go,” said Raonic, when asked about his bid to qualify. “I just have to stay focused on my matches, because as long as it doesn’t enter my mind during a match I am fine.”

Three days after lifting his fifth ATP World Tour title at the Thailand Open, third seed Raonic was devastating on serve against wild card Go Soeda in a 6-4, 7-6(0) victory under a closed roof at the Ariake Coliseum.

On the very court where the Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medal match will be contested, Raonic won 38 of his 40 first service points, hit 24 aces and lost nine points overall for victory in 81 minutes.

“I did a lot of things well,” said last year’s runner-up Raonic. “It was a very early time for me to play, as I played night matches last week. I feel I am a much better player than I was last year, because I have had more experiences.”

Raonic has compiled a 17-5 record since losing in the Wimbledon second round (l. to Sijsling).

Jeremy Chardy won the right to play Raonic on Thursday after he completed a 7-6(2), 3-6, 7-6(6) win over qualifier Marco Chiudinelli in two hours and 56 minutes. The match was carried over from Tuesday night when Chardy led 7-6(2), 2-4.

Milos Raonic continued to make up ground on the Top 8 in the Emirates ATP Race To London after he extended his winning streak to eight matches on Saturday by reaching the Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships final.

Should Raonic win the Tokyo title he will rise to within 90 points of Stanislas Wawrinka, who is in eighth position in the battle for one of five remaining spots at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have already qualified for the event, which will be held at The O2 in London from 4-11 November.

The third seed defeated Ivan Dodig of Croatia 7-6(4), 6-1 in 84 minutes to advance to his fourth championship match of the year (2-1 finals record).

Raonic has already won two ATP World Tour titles at the SAP Open in San Jose and at last week’s Thailand Open in Bangkok (d. Berdych). On Sunday, he will face top seed and 2008 runner-up Juan Martin del Potro for the Tokyo crown.

Points against the serve were few and rallies were short as both semi-finalists attempted to establish themselves in their second FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting of the year. Dodig recovered from 0/30 at 3-3, which proved to be the only half chance Raonic had of breaking, while the Canadian was taken to deuce in the 10th game.

In a clash between two strong servers, a tie-break was inevitable. Dodig capitalised on early errors from Raonic to open up a 3-1 lead but he got pegged back. At 4-4, Raonic fired a backhand crosscourt pass. The winner spurred him on and he clinched the set with an ace – his fifth straight point.

Raonic, contesting his fifth semi-final of the year, grew in confidence and broke Dodig to 15 for a 3-1 lead in the second set and again two games later. By breezing through the set, victory ensured that the 22 year old has risen to No. 10 in the Emirates ATP Race To London.

Raonic, who saved one break point in the third game of the second set, struck 12 aces and lost four of his first service points. He has hit 64 aces and won all 40 of his service games in four matches at the ATP World Tour 500 tournament.

Three of his matches have been contested under a closed roof at the Ariake Coliseum, due to rain.