The Tennis Thread

[Reneeee]

Milos with a crucial break in the 2nd set. Please no more tiebreaks. Every time he gets into one I become very nervous.

[GirlySports]

yikes, broken back right away, 4-4

[GirlySports]

woo Roanic breaks again! 5-4. Will serve for the 2nd set.

[GirlySports]

Roanic takes the 2nd set 6-4.

And they're playing on.. there must be lights in Barcelona as it is approaching 10pm.

[Reneeee]

bad break to lose in the 3rd. I think it will be hard to come back for 3-1 down, but I could be wrong. You never really know with Milos.

[GirlySports]

Looks like Milos ran out of gas. Two long matches in a row.

[Reneeee]

He lives to fight another game. If he can hold serve and break Dodig, this could be a new match with a momentum swing.

[Mango]

It was really a tough match on Raonic mentally. Dodig was really able to keep his cool and take the victory. It was hard for me two watch because both are on my list of favorite ATP players.

[GirlySports]

Dodig wins again preventing an all spanish semifinal.

Tomorrow it'll be Nadal vs. Dodig and Ferrer vs. Almagro

-----

Milos Raonic's next stop will be the Estoril Open ATP 250 in Portugal.

He will be the 6th seed in the field of 32.

#1 Soderling, Robin SWE
#2 Del Potro, Juan Martin ARG
#3 Verdasco, Fernando ESP
#4 Bellucci, Thomaz BRA
#5 Simon, Gilles FRA
#6 Raonic, Milos CAN
#7 Anderson, Kevin RSA
#8 Chardy, Jeremy FRA

[GirlySports]

The draw is out for the ATP 250 Estoril Open

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/468/mds.pdf

Using Raonic's most recent ranking #28.. he is the 5th seed.

He gets Russia Igor Andreev in the 1st round.

[CofR]

Raonic wins the first set 6-4. He's down 2-1 in the second set but has the serve now.

[CofR]

Raonic wins the match 6-4, 6-4. Next up is Joao Sousa.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by CofR

Raonic wins the match 6-4, 6-4. Next up is Joao Sousa.

Nice! Sousa should be a breeze. Homeboy wildcard.

[Matty81]

Another super impressive win - Andreev is almost a pure clay court player. He's setting up nicely for the madrid and rome 1000s and then the French - you've gotta think he's going to be dominant with that serve during the short grass court season.

Milos is staying cautious about the match against the wildcard -

"That will be tough for many reasons: the player, the atmosphere, the home crowd, which can all only help (Sousa) ...," said Raonic. "I need to find a way to win and stay mature about it all. Hopefully I can come with as good a result as I had today. I'm feeling better and better on clay, playing better with each match. I want to keep improving without putting too many expectations on myself."

[CofR]

Raonic just broke Sousa. He leads the first set 4-1.

[Matty81]

Raonic won easily today in the end.

Heads up for anybody who gets it in time, if you watch or PVR the Estoril Open on Sportsnet West tomorrow morning (7 MT I think), you should get Milos's Quarterfinal against #4 seed (and former world #6) Gilles Simon of France scheduled to go around 2 hours into the telecast.

Should be a big test for Milos, one he should lose on paper but given the way he's playing who knows.

If he survives there is a solid chance he will face a semi-final, on clay against Verdasco, pretty much in a no lose situation after the poor-sportsmanship and cockiness he showed Raonic after getting beat on Hardcourt and guaranteeing he would beat him on clay.

[GirlySports]

Play delayed by rain in Portugal with the 2nd match Soderling-Del Potro in the 2nd set. Raonic-Simon is up next whenever they start playing again.

Meanwhile Canadians are doing well in Challengers.

Dancevic and Duclos meet in a quarterfinal in Sarasota, Florida.
Popesil is in a quarterfinal in Leon, Mexico.

Important points being picked up. Especially for Duclos who is ranked in the 400s and had to qualify for the tournament.

[Reneeee]

They're finally back to tennis in Portugal. I'm really surprised at the lack of fans this tournament seems to be having. Seems like there is less than 100 people watching this Soderling - Del Potro match.

[GirlySports]

Dancevic won easily so he's into the semifinals.
33 important ATP points into his account with a chance for more!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2011/5069/mds.pdf

[GirlySports]

Plays suspended in Portugal due to darkness.

Raonic is on serve down 5-6 in the first set.
Anderson has taken the first set 7-6 over Verdasco.

Both matches will resume tomorrow morning and then the winners face off later in the day.

The other semi is set.. Del Potro against Cuevas, the unseeded player from Uruguay.