THAT WASN’T A SCARE
That wasn’t a real scare. In tennis you have a scare when you are about to lose to an opponent that his much lower in the ranking or he is considered 1 or 2 categories below. And that wasn’t the case.
Roger already had a tough time with Milos in Indian Wells where he had to stage another comeback from 1 set down (Video)
It was all clear from the beginning that this would have been a very tough match for different reasons.
First, the big break that Roger conceded to himself affter his (horrible) loss in March at the hands of Roddick.
Second, the slippery blue clay. This is not a hard court, it is not grass and it is not clay. It is just another surface and a very slippery one. Raonic had the chance to test it in the first round, Federer didn’t.
Third, Raonic is now more than a promise, he is a real deal, a player that will definately break soon in the top 10 (his game is already there).
THE MATCH
Federer was sublime in fending off Milo’s weapons. The Canadian blasted 21 aces and was able to win 86% of the points on his first service (100% won in the first set where he conceded only 4 points in all his srvice games!).
Roger was really good in defending 8 break points. He lost the first and decisive break point in the first set, to then succesfully defend 4 in the second and 3 in the third set.
Eventually Raonic won more points than Federer (103 -99), but Roger got the important ones.
ROGER
“I had a tough first set and one bad game that cost me the set really,” said Federer. “He could swing big on my service games and I couldn’t do that much on his but I was getting more balls back as the match went on. I played a good tie-breaker overall.”
“Right now, I’m just playing good tennis and it’s a big win because wins like this can create great things,” he added . “It was pretty much a big struggle for me tonight but the level is pretty good and I’m happy where I am in the season.”
MILOS
“I felt like I was on top throughout the whole match,” Raonic said. “I was there doing the right things and it was good. I will probably be more happy with the whole outcome in a few days but now is not the right time.”
NEXT WITH GASQUET
Federer will play Gasquet in the third round.
Federer leads 8-3 in head t head matches with the Frenchman, but Richard leads 2-1 on clay (last win last year in Rome 4-6 7-6(2) 7-6(4). But in Madrid we are not talking about a clay court… It’s a Smurf thing…
