Raonic upbeat as US Open looms
Print Edition
MILOS Raonic matched his career high in the ATP rankings yesterday by rising to sixth after his first victory of the year at the Citi Open in Washington, boosting his confidence ahead of the US Open.
“That number I have beside my name is no coincidence and I would not be surprised if that number gets smaller,” Raonic said.
The 23-year-old Canadian won in his first event since reaching his maiden grand slam semifinal last month at Wimbledon, where he lost to Roger Federer and departed the court angry and frustrated at his performance.
Those feelings have sparked motivation that spurs him forward into the ATP Toronto Masters this week with only three weeks until the start of his next grand slam opportunity at the Flushing Meadows fortnight in New York.
“I started taking that anger and disappointment and using it,” said Raonic. “There’s still a certain pain and discomfort. To change things around, it’s good. But there’s still a fire in me because of how I played that match.”
Raonic fired 83 aces in his title run at Washington, the lightning serves of “Supersonic Raonic” helping to humble countryman Vasek Pospisil 6-1, 6-4 on Sunday in the ATP’s first all-Canadian final.
“There aren’t too many solutions with his serve. I think it’s the best serve in the game right now,” Pospisil said.
In the women’s final, 29-year-old Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a two-time grand slam champion, won her first WTA title since 2010 at San Diego by defeating Japan's Kurumi Nara 6-3, 4-6, 6-4.
In Stanford, California, Serena Williams won her WTA-leading fourth title of the season on Sunday, beating third-seeded Angelique Kerber 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the Bank of the West Classic final.
Playing her first tournament since her departure from Wimbledon because of equilibrium problems, the top-ranked and top-seeded Williams won the hardcourt event for the third time.
Williams extended her winning streak to 13 matches in winning her third title at Stanford in four years.
“It just says how much I love to play here,” she said.
Kerber, who will rise to No. 7, was the first German to reach the final here since Sylvia Hanika in 1987. Bettina Bunge, in 1983, was the last German to win the tournament.
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