Rafael Nadal Destroys Canadian Tennis Ace Milos Raonic In Montreal Masters Final!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0L9ocfwXRg

I knew Canadian tennis star Milos Raonic didn’t have a chance to beat Rafael Nadal today but I thought he could have made it close. However, immediately Raonic was serving at 1-1 and Nadal breaks his serve and the match is over. Nadal destroyed Raonic 6-2 6-2 in a little bit over an hour. First, congratulations to Milos Raonic for becoming the first Canadian man to reach the top 10. On Monday, Raonic will be ranked tenth in the world and that’s an awesome achievement for a young player. However, Nadal illustrated today that there is a huge gap between the elite players in the top five and the rest of the top 10 or top 2o players. Raonic is in the second tier group, his game is good enough to beat most of the men on the ATP Tour but not good enough against Nadal.

The reason Nadal has dominated Raonic 4-0 in their head to head meetings is due to a few things. Raonic is slow, yes he is six foot five but his movement is awkward his footwork is terrible!

Tomas Berdych the sixth ranked player in the world is the same height as Raonic but his movement is superior. Nadal simply redirects the ball, he pushes Milos Raonic around the court. Unfortunately, for Raonic his lack of mobility is exploited by Nadal. I suggest Raonic hire a sprint coach, I am not suggesting Raonic is going to become a track and field star like Usain Bolt.

However, I feel that in order for Raonic to challenge the top five players he must improve his movement. If Raonic can improve his fitness, meaning getting physically stronger he will have more confidence on the court. Raonic is slim but he’s going to have to work even harder in the gym if he seriously wants to challenge the top four players. Right now, Raonic is not fast enough and his groundstrokes are not consistent enough. Raonic made too many silly errors today against Nadal.

Second, Raonic’s backhand is weak he runs around his poor backhand to hit forehands. Raonic needs to improve his backhand and turn it from a weakness into a weapon. The problem is Nadal is so much quicker than Raonic he exploits Raonic’s backhand and forces him into errors. Finally, I think Raonic needs to realize having a big serve is not enough to beat the top players. Raonic needs to dedicate himself to adding more variety into his game he is sadly very one dimensional. I don’t want Milos Raonic to end up like Andy Roddick he didn’t have variety in his game and he became Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer’s punching bag. The good news is Raonic is young he’s only twenty two. However, in the fall when Raonic has time, I sincerely hope that he really dedicates himself to improving his movement. If Milos Raonic can improve his movement, maybe he has a chance against the top four players.

Disappointing Result: Canadian Tennis Stud Milos Raonic Loses Japan Open Final To Kei Nishikori!

I am disappointed Milos Raonic Canada’s top tennis player lost in the finals of the Japan Open to Kei Nishikori. I am cognziant Kei Nishikori is a solid player his ranking is going to rise to number fifteen in the world and he is also a young player. I feel Milos has more weapons than Kei he has a huge serve, an explosive forehand and he volleys well. An area that Kei exposed today is Milos movement and his tendency to run around his backhand to hit forehands.

Milos speed around the tennis court is improved but he needs to get even quicker and faster if he wants to challenge the top players. I also believe Milos consistency needs to improve he seems to do well when he has no pressure. Milos victory over Andy Murray was unexpected because Murray is ranked higher.

Today, Milos was supposed to beat Kei because he is higher ranked and he has more weapons. The pressure seemed to get to Milos today and he dropped serve immediately at the start of the match.

Milos was probably exhausted emotionally, physically, and mentally after upsetting two top ten players Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevic. However, Milos has now lost three ATP 500 finals in his career. Milos ranking will rise to number fourteen in the world on Monday and he crosses the $1 million dollar mark in prize money earned on the tennis court this year. I am pleased that Milos has made some improvements to his game his court positioning is better he is standing on the baseline and being aggressive. The only concern I have is that I think Milos needs to start out of the blocks better in his matches. Today, Milos needed a good start Kei was determined to win in front of the Japanese people in his own country and he was very aggressive. Milos had a 3-0 lead in the first set tiebreaker yet lost the first set. Milos managed to win the second set 6-3 but he got destroyed in the final set losing 6-0. Milos won two long matches against Andy Murray and Janko Tipsarevic in the semifinals and quarterfinals fighting off match points so I know he is mentally tough.

Hopefully, in the future, Milos will be better mentally prepared when he reaches a high profile final because if he wants to be a top ten player he’s got to win these kinds of matches.

ATP Tour Interview With Top Twenty Rising Canadian Star Milos Raonic!!!

ROGERS CUP 2012

Toronto, Canada

by Nima Naderi

|07.08.2012

Canada’s Milos Raonic is making his third main draw appearance at the Rogers Cup.

Canadian Milos Raonic has been blazing up the South African Airways ATP Rankings with three titles in the past two years, and has quickly become the talk of the tennis world wherever he goes. Receiving well-deserved hype for being the next big-time player to challenge the likes ofNovak Djokovic, Rafael Nadaland Roger Federer, many observers believe that he is one breakthrough away from a Grand Slam title.

Raonic took some time out to discuss what he likes to do when he’s home in Toronto and what the Canadian system needs to do in order to produce more world class players.

You grew up in Thornhill. What do you like best about that neighbourhood?

I like the area in general. It allowed my family to feel comfortable whenever I was out and about. I also like the varieties of food, from all you can eat sushi, to Korean barbecue, to shawarma — you have everything you want and it’s very good quality. You are close to downtown Toronto, but also far away enough from it so that you don’t get caught up in the wrong things.

As a kid/teenager, did you venture much to downtown Toronto? What were some of your favourite places?

I went downtown mostly for tennis when I was younger, to play at the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club or the Cricket Club, but when I did go for other things it was mostly for my friends or to go to the Eaton Centre. Now I go more to enjoy a night out.

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How often do you make it back to Toronto during the year? What do you like to do when you’re back?

I make it back a few times a year, but never for more than two weeks. I just like to relax and forget about tennis for a little when I’m outside theRogers Cup. I try to do different things every time to learn more about the city. I tend to go down to the Lakeshore a bit to walk, and to the west side of the city for good food.

Where in Toronto did you learn to play tennis?

I started at the Blackmore Tennis Club in Richmond Hill. I spent many years there. I also attended many different clubs — I trained for a few years at the Cricket Club. Now when I come home I normally go to the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club and the Rexall Centre.

Do you think Toronto is well-equipped to breed tennis players?

Yes. I think the weather is not the best for tennis but there are definitely the facilities. I think the only problem can be the fees for both court times and memberships. But I hope the clubs lower this for kids they see have potential and try to support them like the clubs I attended did for me and my family.

What advice would you give to Toronto kids aspiring to play on the ATP World Tour? At what point should a junior think about getting instruction elsewhere?

Hard work always pays off. In tennis as in all sports there are always up and downs, but stick to it. Surround yourself with people you trust and believe in the work you do — that will get you far. The rest takes a bit of good fortune and luck. I ventured out of Canada for the competition and because I wanted to surround myself with people I knew could make the best of my abilities.

Where does the Rogers Cup rank in terms of your favourite tournaments? Do you feel the home court gives you an advantage over other players?

I think it’s one of my favourites. I think the only tournament that trumps it for me is Wimbledon and only because of its prestige, and the fact that it’s a grand slam and the ultimate dream for me.

What are your three favourite Toronto restaurants?

I like All Star, for its amazing selection of wings. I make sure to go there at least once when I am home. I like a lot of different all-you-can-eat sushi places. I can’t name one because I think they all differ a bit — some have better sashimi and some have better rolls, so I try to change spots often. I also enjoy Lee. I’ve been there once before and was impressed.

What’s something you’ve experienced in other cities you’d like to see in Toronto?

Better weather. Also, internationally, you see a lot of success in many different sports and I think Toronto and Canada should become more passionate about sports other than just hockey. We have great athletes and talents.

What do other ATP tour players like about coming to Toronto? What don’t they like about the city?

They like a lot of things. Sometimes they feel Toronto is so big and it’s easy to get lost in the city, or they wish there was more culture and history like in European cities. They think Toronto girls are beautiful.

RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

Hard courts, clay or grass? Hard court

Toughest opponent? David Ferrer

Favourite post-match meal? Sushi. Or, if I play the next day, then steak

Federer or Sampras? Sampras

Best tennis court in Toronto? Centre court at the Rexall Centre

Favourite Toronto landmark? ACC because I love to attend other sporting events. But the most meaningful is the CN tower…

Bikes, cars or subways? Cars

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Hockey or soccer? Basketball