Milos Raonic won his sixth career ATP title by defeating countryman Vasek Pospisil 6l 64 in the Citi Open Finals. With the win, Raonic will move up to a career high #6 in the world.
The big serving Canadian got out of the gates early once again.
“It’s great the way it started,” said Raonic. “I couldn’t have asked for more. I had a chance to break in every single game in that first set. Then I continued to play solid after that. All in all, a very good performance and an important moment for me…I think I’m playing at a high level. I think the number I have beside my name is not a coincidence and I don’t think it would be a coincidence if it got lower.”
Pospisil understandably, cited Raonic’s fine play and his own “heavy” legs as factors in the outcome. Pospsil, now 0-2 career head to head vs. Raonic, had to endure marathon three-setters in the quarters and semis vs. Santiago Giraldo and Richard Gasquet.
Pospisil was looking to capture his first ATP singles title.
In the doubles, Leander Paes and Samuel Groth surged to a 3-love lead vs. Horia Tecau and Jean Julien Rojer, aided by two deciding points, but then it only got harder for the first time teammates. Rojer and Tecau won seven of the next nine games to take the set 7-5. Paes struggled mightily with his serve to the ad court vs. Tecau who directed damaging returns cross court wide and also on occasion up the line. This was the key matchup which eventually produced the winning result.
Groth tried changing his light blue adidas shows to a darker blue model at one-all in the second set, but this timeout tactic did not seem to bother Tecau/Rojer who maintained their momentum. Groth netted a backhand volley for the only break of the second, with the final score being 75 64.
The Romanian Tecau was the star of the match, even tagging Paes twice with volleys. Paes showed some of his typical magic but he seemed a bit uncomfortable for most of the match, primarily because of his struggles to win points on serve vs. Tecau in the ad court.
After the match, Paes showed his class. He congratulated the champions and also his first time and now overall 96th ATP doubles partner Groth for a solid week. Paes and Groth had to save four match points earlier in the week vs. Lindstedt and Chardy.
Also, Paes made a special impromptu presentation of his match Head racquet to two children in the crowd. Paes brought the two youngsters on the court and had them involved in a photo op with all four doubles players. Paes, a champion, in victory or defeat, also said in his speech that he looks forward to playing a lot more tennis at his “home away from home” next year.
No tags
Dan Markowitz · August 4, 2014 at 9:36 am
Is Raonic now ready to win the Open? I think he might be. His game is looking very efficient. He doesn’t play long matches like Izzie. But he’s been beating second-tier players. As we saw at Wimby when he lost straight sets to Roger, he may not yet be ready to beat Djoko-Fed-Nadal and Murray.
It’ll be interesting to watch. Raonic looks very confident. I just wish he’d do away with that side part in his hair. He looks like Clark Kent.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2014 at 9:53 am
Yes a bit like Clark Kent Dan, but Raonic looks more like that guy on the standard basic tennis trophy. He looks like a tennis trophy haha. I think he’s ready now. He can blow people off the court with that serve and he can play from the baseline too. In the zone, he can take down anyone. Nobody likes to play a huge server, it’s very uncomfortable: Paire Blake and others have told us it doesn’t even feel like playing tennis. Raonic like Isner and Karlovic can change the game.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2014 at 10:45 am
Another thing I like a lot about Raonic, is he exudes the aura of a champion. He is well suited to be the future “Face” of the sport. He is great with media, fans, just has the natural comportment, grace and professionalism befitting of an ATP World Number One. I am sure Raonic will be Number One someday.
Andrew Miller · August 4, 2014 at 2:05 pm
Playing vs raonic no fun ina sampras way but i think movement suspect. Give me dimitrov raonic any court anywhere dimitrov. But raonic doesnt drop matches to lower ranked players generally and only the big four have his number. He finds his way into anotyher slam semi he could see himself in a final. Any player there knows its anyones ball game at that point. Raonic also distanced himself from most peers like harrison. Shows he thinks he has it in him to win a big one.
Lets see him win a nadal-less masters this summer. Btw i dont like the nadal withdrawls they seem so familiar 🙁 doesnt help end the speculation about the win a slam lose a slam withdraw from rest of year win a small tournament win a slam lose a slam and take six months off to heal the newest injury that came from nowhere. I give nadal the benefit of the doubt but of all players he has missed the most slams ( while winning the majority of those he plays as compared to his peers! ). It is a little like serena williams but serena plays so few tourbaments anyways.
Andrew Miller · August 4, 2014 at 2:08 pm
And i dont have confidence in raonic beating a top fpur or big four player beyond murray maybe warinka. That said del potro did it.
Andrew Miller · August 4, 2014 at 2:16 pm
Wanted: facing muster book. Newsflash: for better or worse thiem.is no muster but kid honest enough to say losing to goffin was a terrible learning experience. Gotta appreciate the honesty.
Dan Markowitz · August 4, 2014 at 2:18 pm
Raonic has distanced himself from Harry. Mike Russell has distanced himself from Harry. Harry is the DY of his generation of American men players. Maybe like DY he’ll have a little bit of a renaissance. But Harry is so three years ago. The guy is making Denis Kudla look good. You got to wonder why none of the young Americans played Toronto qualis.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Facing Muster would be a fun feature to work on. Speaking with Ljubicic in Wash DC about facing Rafa, Ljubicic mentioned how Muster used to torture a player by making the points longer than they needed to be. He’d intentionally physically drain an opponent. Facing Safin would be cool too.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Harry is ranked outside l60 now. Crisis time. I was told Jarmere Jenkins is taking a break. He lost seven first rounds in a row and needs a break. But it’s a bad time because he has a lot of points to defend from this time last year. Tough times for talented young Americans.
Coach Skelly · August 4, 2014 at 3:49 pm
Hey Dan!Do you know who is coaching Harrison?
Hey Scoop!How about “Facing Spadea Book!He beat about 30 top tenners!Nobody wanted to see Spadea in their quarter of draw!Even the big boys!Spadea wasnt afraida of ya!!!
Jack · August 4, 2014 at 4:32 pm
Raonic might win Wimbledon, if he dedicates himself to grass. Like Ivanisivic.
Raonic will NEVER win the USO.
Scoop Malinowski · August 4, 2014 at 8:22 pm
Raonic is still developing, he’s not a finished product by any means. The next step is to knock off a top four player in a major. When that happens, Raonic’s confidence and belief will be complete. I think Dimitrov is ready to win a major too, beating Murray at Wimbledon has given him that belief. Raonic still needs that big win. I trust Ljubicic as the right coach for Raonic even though he didn’t win a major himself he has wins over top players and had some huge Davis Cup wins over Agassi and Roddick. Also, Ljubicic is one of the most intelligent minds in the sport today.
Dan Markowitz · August 4, 2014 at 10:37 pm
I have heard Skells that Gambill is coaching Harry now. Let’s see if JM can get Harry back on track.
Andrew Miller · August 4, 2014 at 11:20 pm
Canada: Dodig d. Isner, 3 sets
Russell d. Mahut.
Smyczek d. Kamke
Anderson d. Kokkinakis 3 sets
Paire d. Falla
Polansky d. Jerzy J.
Cilic d. Istomin 3 sets
Lopez d. Bautista
Bennetau d. Hewitt 6-1 6-2. Not good.
Tsonga d. Roger-Vasselin
Chardy d. Delbonis 3 sets
—
Ladies
Watson d. Smitkova
Cornet d. Davis
Putintseva d. Pennetta (qualifier wins)
Rogers d. Tomljanovic
Koukalova d. Bertens
Stephens d. Wozniak
Strycova d. Vinci
Lisicki d. Errani
Cibulkova d. Abanda
Safarova d. Cirstea
Riske d. Rybarikova
Bryan · August 4, 2014 at 11:35 pm
Raonic’s rise continues. That beatdown of Pospisil was clinical. He even went beyond the mormal servebot mode and started smacking return winners that looked effortless.
By next season he’ll be able to challenge the big dogs at the majors rather than just show.
Bryan · August 4, 2014 at 11:50 pm
Strange Pospisil hasn’t yet won even a 250 level tournament. The dude’s got fantastic skills but is way too inconsistent. Kind of like Jerzy Janowicz in that way, only he hasn’t had his one big season like Jerzy had in 2013.
Hartt · August 6, 2014 at 8:09 am
Would agree that Pospisil is too inconsistent but he did lose several months this season because of a back injury that he had at the very beginning of the season, forcing him to withdraw from Chennai. He tried to play some tourneys even with the injury which looks like a mistake. It wasn’t until shortly before Wimbledon that the problem was resolved and he was finally pain free.
Lately he’s been dealing with a hamstring issue that hampered him in his singles match at the Rogers Cup and forced him to withdraw from doubles. If he can be relatively free of injuries for the rest of the season he should be able to make a decent run in the next couple of months.