Milos Raonic Will Be A Major Name In Toronto This Week

Written by: Staff on 7th August 2012

Milos Raonic Will Be A Major Name In Toronto This Week

epa03267009 Canada's Milos Raonic returns the ball to Swiss Roger Federer during their quarter final match of the ATP Tennis Tournament in Halle (Westphalia), Germany, 15 June 2012. Federer won 6-7(4), 6-4 and 7-6(3). EPA/OLIVER KRATO |

With the absence of some of the usual big names, home hero Milos Raonic is becoming the focus of this week’s Toronto Masters. The No. 24 who snuck into the 16th seeding through various pullouts from the post-Olympic field, has been fulfilling a laundry list of PR duties now that he’s actually in his native Toronto for more than a few days.

The Montenegro-born player often bases himself in Barcelona for tennis convenience, where his coach Galo Blanco has a home and where training facilities are plentiful in the sunny climate.

Bit this week, it’s all about Canada for the player waiting to make a big-match breakthrough after a fast rise through the ATP rankings over the last 18 months. Raonic did everything from signing autographs to meeting media prior to the tournament start.

But despite the adulation in the country of his birth, Raonic is every bit the modern tennis player. “From the day I started playing tennis to the day I finish, I play for myself and nobody else,” the 21-year-old told local media. “I play tennis because I want to play it and I compete because I want to compete.

“Being able to please other people, being able to make other people happy, to being able to give pride to a nation is great. But if you look at the main motivation of it all, it’s for myself. Those are all bonuses.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Canadian tennis news, London Olympic news, milos raonic, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Toronto Masters