MILOS RAONIC WINS A FIVE SET THRILLER TO BEAT STAN THE MAN WAWRINKA AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS IN MELBOURNE

Written by: Staff on 25th January 2016

MILOS RAONIC WINS A FIVE SET THRILLER TO BEAT STAN THE MAN WAWRINKA AT THE 2016 AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS IN MELBOURNE

epa05124284 Milos Raonic of Canada reacts after defeating Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland in their fourth round match on day eight of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2016. EPA/FILIP SINGER |

Milos Raonic held his nerve (and serve) despite a spirited comeback by fourth seed and 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka on Monday at the Australian Open.

Raonic, the No. 13 seed, hit 82 winners, including 24 aces, to beat Wawrinka 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 4-6, 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena in three hours and 44 minutes. It was his first Top 10 win at a Grand Slam championship since the 2011 Australian Open (d. No. 10 Youzhny).

Now 8-0 on the 2016 ATP World Tour season, the Canadian has now beaten the Swiss No. 1 and 2, including Roger Federer in this month’s Brisbane final. Raonic, who had never beaten Wawrinka in their four previous meetings, will next face Gael Monfils in his second successive quarter-final at Melbourne Park.

“I’m very happy with the way I played, the way I competed, the way I turned things around after sort of having the momentum against me going into the fifth [set],” said Raonic. “I’m happy [with] the situation I’ve put myself in. At the same time, as happy as I am, my mind’s already on what’s the process for my next challenge.

“I was volleying the first volley really well. I was finishing the points. I was putting pressure on him. I was giving him a situation maybe that he wasn’t too comfortable in.”

Raonic got off to a flying start, revealing a new wrinkle to his game with a persistent net approach that kept Wawrinka on the back foot. The hyper-aggressive Canadian crashed the net with alacrity in the early stages, claiming 17 of 25 such points in the first and second sets. Raonic also had Wawrinka’s serve under pressure, putting 75 per cent of returns in play. He would break for 5-4 in the first set and three more times in the second, reeling off six of seven games from 0-2 down to take a commanding two-set lead.

But Wawrinka would not go quietly. They remained on serve until 5-all in the third, when Raonic’s net game began to flicker. Wawrinka rifled a return winner at an approaching Raonic’s feet, followed by a pair of forehand and backhand passing shots that caught the Canadian out of position at the net. He would break for 6-5.

Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland plays a shot against Milos Raonic of Canada during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 25 January 2016 EPA/MAST IRHAM

Raonic held firm in the fourth-set opener, saving two break points in a 20-point game. But Wawrinka gained a stronger hold by breaking to 30 in the fifth game and went on to save three break points in a 15-point game for a 5-3 advantage.

In a serve-dominated deciding set, Raonic opened up a 4-2 lead. Wawrinka, who struggled for service consistency, saved one match point at 3-5, Ad Out. But it was a stay of execution, as Raonic closed out to love in the next game. Drawing Wawrinka to the net with a drop shot, the match ended with a simple volley into an open court. Raonic won 54 of 83 (65%) points at the net overall and is now 6-4 lifetime in fifth sets.

Raonic had previously won only one of nine sets against Wawrinka. Victory ended Wawrinka’s perfect record of seven wins against Canadian opponents, the Swiss’ bid to reach a seventh straight Grand Slam championship quarter-final and his seven-match winning streak. Wawrinka picked up his 12th ATP World Tour title at the Aircel Chennai Open (d. Coric) earlier this month.

“[It was a] tough match in general, for sure,” said Wawrinka. “I think Milos started really well. He was pushing [and] playing well. [I] wasn’t really feeling great there, not playing my best. [I] wasn’t moving to do something else. I’m surprised it still went five sets. I tried to fight like always, tried to find a solution. I think he went a little bit down with his speed, with his movement. I took the opportunity to push him to the fifth set. But, for sure, I’m disappointed.”

( Courtesy of the ATP and Original Link – http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/raonic-wawrinka-australian-open-2016-monday2 )

Topics: Atp World Tour, Australian Open, Gael Monfils, Melbourne tennis, milos raonic, Roger Federer, Sports, Stan Wawrinka, Tennis News

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dusanVemic says:

January 25, 2016 at 4:30 pm

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