Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Russian sites only show Tokyo on Thursday ... it might be that ...
Raonic has top 5 potential
- Thread starter romeo8880
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Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
good victory at Stepanek in Tokyo
RAFA2005RG
Banned
Raonic could make the top 5 if Ferrer ever declines. Raonic will never be as good as Ferrer currently is.
Pretty obvious IMO that Raonic will make the top 5. Look at the other guys in his generation. Are there really more than 4 that are better than him at this point or that could become better than him in the future? Correct me if I'm wrong but of all guys born after 1990 he's the better ranked one, by far. Nishikori and Tomic are way behind. Injuries are probably the only thing that could prevent him from reaching the top 5 in the next few years.
It was an injury caused by on-court accident, not overuse or similar. It could be that Raonic has some inherent weakness in the hip area that left him more prone to a hip injury, but more likely just a one-time deal of a freak awkward landing after slip. Those one-offs can happen to anyone anytime.
Take that hip incident away and his durability hasn't been too shabby over the past couple of years for a younger player that is suddenly playing way more matches, at a far more intense level than he was accustomed to. A couple of minor items resulting in a couple of missed matches, but nothing extended or serious.
Time will tell.
Back to the original topic question, I have probably posted already in this thread but common sense tells us that he's a good bet for spending some time in top 5 during parts of his career. Rusedski bailed on us, so results like top 5 actually playing under the Canadian flag are like winning the lottery for us tennis fans here in Canada.
However, I'm not seeing Raonic as a #1 type of player. Even if he improves the weak areas (ROS, movement) I just don't see him as that spectacular type of talent that's usually a given with #1's on the mens' side. He's really, really good, but I'll be surprised if he ever graduates to spectacular. I understand that rankings are against the field and so a #1 doesn't necessarily have to be spectacular, just better than everyone else.
It's true that we have had a couple of very short-lived #1s (Moya, etc.) who didn't reach that level, and Raonic could find a similar gap somewhere later in his career since to this point he does indeed look to be the best of his generation. More likely though, one or more other players who have more of the total package will emerge and be those future #1s and contenders that will keep Raonic pinned just a bit lower in the rankings.
If the planets all align could Raonic snag a major? Sure, if he stays healthy for another 6-7 years and a whole crop of next generation superstars doesn't quickly come through the ranks during that time.
RAFA2005RG
Banned
Raonic will never be as good as Berdych/Ferrer/Tsonga currently are. Raonic has a horrible groundstroke game, completely inconsistent and poor movement (good for his height, but poor overall).
Give it 6-7 years and see if any of the above has a major. Nobody will remember who was a better player relative to one another, but they will remember if one of them bags a big title.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
livescore doesn't seem to show his court tonight, only center
damn!!
damn!!
He injured his hip because rainy Wimbledon grass was wet and the unpire/tournament didn't stop play. And Raonic hadn't played long enough on the tour to ask the unpire to get off his throne and check . And Raonic slipped on the grass.
PeteD
Legend
Ouch! Wimbledummies strike again~!
PeteD
Legend
I'm not giving up on him going all the way. Like you say the field could thin but besides that, he could improve and become all-around very solid, kind of like a Ferrer, except almost nobody could break his serve.
InvisibleSoul
Hall of Fame
Guess we didn't miss much. Troicki retired just three games into the first set.
GRANITECHIEF
Hall of Fame
Tipsy should be an interesting match up. MR def the underdog there, with Janko being top ten and all, but if the serve is on, a win could be in the cards.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
He beat T in Chennai.
Fedex
Legend
Raonic got a lot of unfair stick after his USO defeat to eventual champion Murray.
I missed that match but watched a recording and, really, it wasn't as one sided or humiliating as many people on here made out or as the scoreline suggested.
There were a lot gunning for Raonic for making a little comment about how Murray would have to adapt to his game which was probably true.
Watch Raonic give Murray a real fight if they meet in the Tokyo Quarters.
I missed that match but watched a recording and, really, it wasn't as one sided or humiliating as many people on here made out or as the scoreline suggested.
There were a lot gunning for Raonic for making a little comment about how Murray would have to adapt to his game which was probably true.
Watch Raonic give Murray a real fight if they meet in the Tokyo Quarters.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Tokyo
vs Tipsy
Finally, center court tonight, on streams, 10PM EST.
vs Tipsy
Finally, center court tonight, on streams, 10PM EST.
InvisibleSoul
Hall of Fame
Extremely tight affair though... won in three tiebreaks.
ruerooo
Legend
I hope he makes it - Tipsy has improved.
Boy needs a sports psychologist. He can win - he just has to believe he can.
(And once you've had a serious injury, it's hard -- I've had trainers remark on how I hesitate to move sometimes, b/c I have bad knees.)
Allez Milos!
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Raonic Tipsy is on at livescore
great quality at Sky
great quality at Sky
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Raonic closer on the return
let's see
2-1 T, on serve
let's see
2-1 T, on serve
Last edited:
InvisibleSoul
Hall of Fame
Wasn't his best match by any means, but he manages to squeak by Tipsy a second time. Perhaps a rematch of the US Open against Murray coming up?
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
It was a great match for R, for he changed his returning to much closer in. Lots of good S-V sequences.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
11 PM EST tonight, it should be on streams, including Sky, which is very good:
[1] Andy Murray (GBR)
v
[6] Milos Raonic (CAN)
[1] Andy Murray (GBR)
v
[6] Milos Raonic (CAN)
I also watched the Sky stream and it was very high quality... Watched only the first set and was pleaently surprised in the morning to see that MR had won.
If he were to win the tournament he would leap ahead in the rankings and would have a real chance to be in the last 8 for London. That would really be amazing.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
He hung in great and outclassed Tipsy in the 2nd.
And ... great day in Tokyo, sunny ...
GRANITECHIEF
Hall of Fame
Especially on match point, huge winner.
InvisibleSoul
Hall of Fame
Where do you find the Sky stream? Actually, nevermind... I would think it'll be live on Sportsnet One, so I should be able to watch in HD on TV.
InvisibleSoul
Hall of Fame
Really? I didn't get that impression while watching the match. It looked like his backhand broke down at crucial moments numerous times. He dumped several routine ones into the net in the first tiebreak, which caused him to lose the set. No doubt he did hit one fantastic DTL backhand to get match point, but other than that, it seemed like he was struggling with his backhand a bit.
His backhand has problems. He goes for way too much and hits way too flat. Forehand is almost the same, although more consistent. He doesn't have a 3/4 pace ball like the top guys do where they hit with plenty of clearance but still with a ton of pace and spin. He CAN do it, it just seems he doesn't. Its either rally or winner.
cc0509
Talk Tennis Guru
Milos may be better mentally prepared but Murray is riding high on confidence after his USO win and Murray is the better player. I would be surprised if Raonic could pull off a win here.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Winning H2H vs. Murray.
Played Fed super tough every time they met this year.
Very solid record vs. top 10 at 6W / 6L for 2012, where most players (even the good ones) get thrashed a bit early in their careers before starting to compile good results against top 10.
Looking like he may have the stick after all to make that top 5 some day.
Played Fed super tough every time they met this year.
Very solid record vs. top 10 at 6W / 6L for 2012, where most players (even the good ones) get thrashed a bit early in their careers before starting to compile good results against top 10.
Looking like he may have the stick after all to make that top 5 some day.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Milos, Congrats!
No surprise for us, as this has been the kind of advice sent from these corners.
But great to see it working and him convinced about it.
See:
Saluting a More Complete Milos Raonic
Marius Hancu
Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 4, 2012
http://voices.yahoo.com/saluting-more-complete-milos-raonic-11283486.html
No surprise for us, as this has been the kind of advice sent from these corners.
But great to see it working and him convinced about it.
See:
Saluting a More Complete Milos Raonic
Marius Hancu
Yahoo! Contributor Network
May 4, 2012
http://voices.yahoo.com/saluting-more-complete-milos-raonic-11283486.html
ruerooo
Legend
batz
G.O.A.T.
Well?
Are you surprised?
To be fair mate, the guy posted a mea culpa on the match thread and said how well Milos played - which was very well.
If Raonic takes the title, he'll move up to #12 in the Rankings and #10 in the Race. Given how he should also do well in the indoor stretch, him cracking the Top 10 by Year End is looking more and more likely. Making the Top 8 and the WTF might be pushing it a bit though, since the Top 7 would still be over 1,000 points ahead of him in the race. Tsonga at #8 might be within striking distance, but he's probably the 2nd best indoor player in the world and will likely pick up a lot of points before year-end.
Marius_Hancu
Talk Tennis Guru
Pretty good draw in Shanghai
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/5014/mds.pdf
shots at Tsonga, Berdych (QF), Djokovic, Federer (in order)
http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2012/5014/mds.pdf
shots at Tsonga, Berdych (QF), Djokovic, Federer (in order)
Smasher08
Legend
Uh-huh. Did Karlo ever go 2-1 against the 3rd best player in the world in any single calendar year -- especially when said 3rd best player in the world had just reeled off an Olympic gold and the USO?
Didn't think so.
tistrapukcipeht
Professional
I saw the first set and half, I was surprised to hear that the match lasted that long and Raonic even saved a MP.
Milos has what it takes to beat Murray, and that wasn't the first nor the last time.
Milos has what it takes to beat Murray, and that wasn't the first nor the last time.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
You're not the only one. Most people thought Murray would get it done in 2 quick straights.
Actually, he saved 2.
Clearly he has although on this occasion he was helped a lot by Murray's many errors and dropped service games. His serve and forehand worked much better this time around than at the USO last month. If he keeps it up, he should be a threat to many of the other top players as well.
Other than Rao-Rao vs. qualifier as a first rounder, if that's a good draw I'd hate to see a bad draw. Ouch!
Then again it is a 1000. If he wants to continue making a move in the rankings he'll need to find more wins against higher ranked players. If he can ease through the first two rounds (not a guarantee coming off a real high week here in Tokyo) then Tsonga is a great draw for him. Not because it's an easy match at all, but because if Raonic wants to keep the long shot hope for YEC alive he's in the driver's seat for racking up higher points from Shanghai that's exactly who he has to be targeting.
ruerooo
Legend
Comms made a point of how hard he'd been working on his backhand.
And they were right -- we really didn't see that at all during his USO match with MAndy. I think it made a huge difference.
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