Not only that I don't think he's even dropped serve in SJ.
Wow, crazy.
Raonic-Haas just underway (on SN1) and Raonic with the early break to go up 2-1. He looks on so far with a couple of backhand winners and 4 aces in the first service game.
Milos should buy this tournament himself and keep it on the schedule lol
Is this tournament being replaced on the schedule? If not, could someone try to get a comparable event in Canada in the slot. If they can host it in an NHL arena, so can we.
It would seem like a good time to add another event in Canada, particularly on the west coast. Vancouver really got into the Davis Cup. With Canada actually having a decent tennis program right, having a smaller tournament gives some of the lesser Canadian guys an opportunity, while as long as Raonic is on tour, he'd probably support the tournament and give it a draw.
Is this tournament being replaced on the schedule? If not, could someone try to get a comparable event in Canada in the slot. If they can host it in an NHL arena, so can we.
It would seem like a good time to add another event in Canada, particularly on the west coast. Vancouver really got into the Davis Cup. With Canada actually having a decent tennis program right, having a smaller tournament gives some of the lesser Canadian guys an opportunity, while as long as Raonic is on tour, he'd probably support the tournament and give it a draw.
Some of the point appropriations are being shifted around and this is becoming a clay Rio 500. I think Memphis becomes a 250 to compensate and Acapulco will become a hardcourt event.
That covers a lot of the key areas in which he definitely needs to improve. Wish I could have seen it.
Yup, everything we've been talking about here for the past 2 years as needing improvement suddenly happened. He doesn't look awkward anymore, he's taking smaller steps and moving his feet so much better. He is really driving through his backhand as well. Pretty much the way he played Davis Cup is the way he played today, just better in every way.
Raonic has Jack Sock in the first round in Memphis. Made the final there last year, so he has some points to defend. If he plays like he did at Davis Cup/San John then he shouldn't have much problem.
I thought ATP was replacing San Jose with Rio de Janeiro? But isn't that gonna be weird since San Jose and Sao Paulo had tournaments going on at the same time? So that means Brazil will have two ATP tournaments in the same week?
Raonic-Haas just underway (on SN1) and Raonic with the early break to go up 2-1. He looks on so far with a couple of backhand winners and 4 aces in the first service game.
I stand corrected. He was broken twice, but still has not dropped a set. What impressed me this year is the number of sets that went to a tie-break has gone down. In both 2011 and 2012 he had 4 sets that went to a tie break, one in each match in 2012, and both sets of the final in 2011.
This year he had only one against Istomin. To me that shows a HUGE and significant improvement in his return game. This is the year he needs to start winning 500 events, making 1000 semis or finals, and breaking through to the QFs in GS events.
Of course even though he defended his full 250 points this week he still dropped a spot in the rankings and is now 14th. He may even stay at 14th after this week, unless he wins. Cilic is staying in 12th as he has no points to defend, Raonic can leap from Simon and move back to 13th with a win, as he'd gain 200 points. Simon would need more than 90 points for this tournament to count, but then he'd drop that 90.
I stand corrected. He was broken twice, but still has not dropped a set. What impressed me this year is the number of sets that went to a tie-break has gone down. In both 2011 and 2012 he had 4 sets that went to a tie break, one in each match in 2012, and both sets of the final in 2011.
This year he had only one against Istomin. To me that shows a HUGE and significant improvement in his return game. This is the year he needs to start winning 500 events, making 1000 semis or finals, and breaking through to the QFs in GS events.
Of course even though he defended his full 250 points this week he still dropped a spot in the rankings and is now 14th. He may even stay at 14th after this week, unless he wins. Cilic is staying in 12th as he has no points to defend, Raonic can leap from Simon and move back to 13th with a win, as he'd gain 200 points. Simon would need more than 90 points for this tournament to count, but then he'd drop that 90.
That is definitely one more thing he did this week that he needs to keep doing, stop going to so many breakers. When Roger was in his prime, he would pounce on a break opportunity and then put less effort on the opponents serve if the guy was doing well to preserve energy. He knew he could win the set by holding serve throughout. Milos has been doing that recently, both in this tourney and in DC. He would put out more effort if he was at 30 all or deuce on the servers game but not if it was 40-15 or 40-0. There is a lot of strategy not only in constructing a point but also a game.
