Raonic To Make His Hopman Cup Debut

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 9th October 2013

Raonic To Make His Hopman Cup Debut

epa03896908 Milos Raonic of Canada celebrates after winning a set against Ivan Dodig of Croatia during their semifinal match at the Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan, 05 October 2013. EPA/KIYOSHI OTA |

Milos Raonic will make his Perth debut as Canada fields a side for only the second time at the eight-nation Hopman Cup mixed team event starting three days after Christmas.

The No. 11 is joined in the first Canadian team to play since 2004 by teenaged talent Eugenie Bouchard. The event will feature nine of the world’s top 20 players, including three from the top ten: 2011 Wimbledon winner Czech Petra Kvitova, Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France.

The US team will feature John Isner playing with his fourth female partner, Australian open semi-finalist Sloane Stephens, Isner won the title in 2011 for the US with Bethanie Mattek-Sands. “Every time I’ve played Perth, I’ve enjoyed myself so much,” said Isner, who quit the event in 2013 with a knee injury which forced him from the Australian Open. “Playing the Hopman Cup is perfect preparation for the Australian Open. It allows me to get down there early, get used to the heat and on top of that get top notch, quality matches.”

Topics: 10sballs, Agnieszka Radwanska, Australian Open, BETHANIE Mattek-Sands, Hopman Cup, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, John Isner, milos raonic, Petra Kvitova, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News