The beginning of 2011 saw the emergence of a new tennis sensation on the ATP tour: Milos Raonic. After a brave run in Australia where he made it into the last 16, losing in a tough four-setter to David Ferrer, Raonic unleashed his huge potential during the American hardcourt season. It all started in San Jose the last fortnight. After some easy wins against Xavier Malisse, James Blake and Richard Berankis, the 20 years old Canadian benefited from the withdrawal of French Gael Monfils to advance into his first ATP final. Encouraged by his meeting with idol Pete Sampras, Milos took full advance of his powerful ground strokes and giant serve to beat Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in two tie-breaks. By capturing the title, the Montenegro born Raonic became the first Canadian men player to achieve this feat, emulating Greg Rusedski's record dating back to 1995.
This wasn't a one hit wonder though, as the impressive run of form continued. After disposing once more of Verdasco, barely escaping Stepanek and overcoming Fish in the semis, the red-hot Canadian made it all the way to the final in Memphis. He came second-best in a tight final against American Andy Roddick who eventually won his 30th career title. Although their games are very much alike, the experience proved decisive in helping Roddick seize a hard fought 7-5 final set victory. Milos' excellent accomplishments saw him rise to number 37 in the world, the highest-ever ranking for a Canadian men's singles player.
The question that arises now is not whether Raonic has the game to challenge the world's best, but if he can remain consistent enough to threaten Federer, Nadal & co. on a regular basis. During the last decades, many shooting stars came into public scrutiny. Mario Ancic, Marcos Baghdatis, Frenchmen Monfils, Tsonga and Gasquet, Americans Isner and Querrey or recently, Latvian Ernest Gulbis, are just some examples of players who, at some point, promised to dominate men's tennis. Although their results have been notable, no one really stood out. They've all made it into the top 20, some even to top 10, but they couldn't pose a thread to the dominance of Nadal or Federer. Still, there was a player who managed to break this barrier and win a Grand Slam. Argentinian Juan Martin Del Potro captured the 2009 US Open after a memorable final against the Swiss Maestro. For me, he is the only wonder boy who actually delivered on the huge expectations. He experienced some physical issues last year, but once he's back to his best, he will surely be competing for the most prestigious prizes once again.
Even though I am just getting familiarized with Milos, I actually noticed some similarities with Del Potro's game. Both can heavily rely on a devastating serve. Moreover, their forehands are of killer's magnitude. Consequently, if he stays healthy and keeps his feet on the ground, I could really see Raonic become a force to be reckoned with on the men's tour.
photo: GETTY IMAGES
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