RAONIC STAYS ALIVE, FERRER ANSWERS AS WORLD TOUR FINALS HEATS UP IN PARIS BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 29th October 2014

BNP Paribas 2014 Masters Tennis Tournament

RAONIC STAYS ALIVE, FERRER ANSWERS AS WORLD TOUR FINALS HEATS UP IN PARIS BY RICKY DIMON

epa04468258 David Ferrer of Spain reacts during his second round match against David Goffin of Belgium at the BNP Paribas 2014 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 29 October 2014. EPA/IAN LANGSDON |

The race for World Tour Finals spots has never been more competitive and it reached new heights on Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Masters. Wednesday’s second-round action began with Milos Raonic facing a must-win situation against Jack Sock if he wanted to stay alive in the race to London. And that’s exactly what the Canadian did.

Sock put up a strong fight–he always does in this matchup–but Raonic survived 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(4) after two hours and one minute of play. Raonic is now 6-1 lifetime against Sock, including 5-0 this season. The world No. 10 has won two straight matches at the American’s expense in third-set tiebreakers and Raonic is 6-0 in tiebreakers between the two players in 2014.

Canada’s Milos Raonic returns to Belgium’s David Goffin during their quarterfinal match at the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, 24 October 2014. EPA/GEORGIOS KEFALAS

Far more important than his improvement in the head-to-head series over Sock is Raonic’s bid for London. He must advance further than Ferrer this week and if he does, he will qualify unless Grigor Dimitrov makes it all the way to the final.

“I know what I need to do,” Raonic assured. “But it’s too dependent on other guys, so I’m just very much focused on myself. It’s not like if I do well I have a safe spot.”

By emerging victorious from his must-win match, Raonic put Ferrer in the exact same situation in the very next contest on the same court. The sixth-ranked Spaniard had to win to keep his hopes afloat and he did just that, holing off David Goffin 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.

David Ferrer of Spain in action against Andy Murray of Great Britain during their final match of the Erste Bank Open ATP tennis tournament in Vienna, Austria, 19 October 2014. EPA/GEORG HOCHMUTH

The story will continue on Thursday with Raonic going up against Roberto Bautista Agut and Ferrer facing countryman Fernando Verdasco. Either Raonic or Ferrer could clinch a spot if the other one loses, although Raonic would also need a Dimitrov loss to secure a berth. Dimitrov, who destroyed Pablo Cuevas 6-0, 6-3 in round two, will meet fellow World Tour Finals contender Andy Murray.

Murray clinches a place in London with just one more victory.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: ATP World Tour Finals, Bnp Paribas Masters, David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco, jack sock, milos raonic, Paris, tennis updates

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10sBalls_com says:

October 29, 2014 at 4:30 pm

#RAONIC STAYS ALIVE, @DavidFerrer87 ANSWERS AS @ATPWorldTour FINALS HEATS UP IN #PARIS BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/Ql9rQwl0ca @milosraonic
RD_Tennistalk says:

October 29, 2014 at 5:50 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: #RAONIC STAYS ALIVE, @DavidFerrer87 ANSWERS AS @ATPWorldTour FINALS HEATS UP IN #PARIS BY @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/Ql9r…