Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic is a Canadian tennis player who has achieved several firsts for his country. He is the first Canadian to break into the top 10 of the ATP singles rankings, and also the first Canadian male to reach the Wimbledon final (in the Open Era).

Blessed with a legendary serve and a big forehand, Raonic has achieved plenty of success on quick courts all over the world. He is still relatively young and is expected to be a strong challenger at Grand Slams for many years to come.

Best finish at each of the four Grand Slams:

Australian Open: Semifinalist (2016)

French Open: Quarterfinalist (2014)

Wimbledon: Runner-up (2016)

US Open: 4th Round (2012, 2013, 2014, 2018)

Highest Ranking: No. 3

Style of play

Raonic is an aggressive player who uses the full dimensions of the court to put his opponents under pressure.

The Candian's game is largely reliant on his serve, and he often uses the one-two punch of a big serve followed by a big forehand to win a point. He also comes to the net frequently in his constant bid to finish points quickly.

Strengths and weaknesses

Raonic's biggest weapon is undoubtedly his serve, which has attained mythical proportions already. Statistically, Raonic's serve is the third best in the Open Era, and that is starkly evident every time he steps on the court.

Raonic can blast both his first and second serve with incredible pace, and can also hit a wicked kick serve to pull his opponents off the court. His serve is so effective that he can regularly come in behind it and win points at the net, even though he doesn't have the greatest volleys.

Raonic's forehand is another important tool in his arsenal, and he hits it flat and deep to back up his serve. Raonic can strike his forehand in any direction and is also good at hitting it on the run.

The Canadian's movement and backhand are two of his most visible weaknesses. Being a tall man, he finds it difficult to change direction while running, which is often taken advantage of by his opponents. His backhand, meanwhile, lacks the power and depth of his other wing, and he frequently runs around it to hit a forehand.

Raonic is also not the greatest touch player, and can struggle to hit the slice or volley with sufficient finesse.

Personal life

Raonic was born in Titograd, Yugoslavia, to Serbian parents. His father Dusan and mother Vesna moved to Canada in 1994, which is where he picked up the sport.

Raonic started playing tennis at the age of 8, and worked with coach Casey Curtis extensively during his early years. His idol while growing up was Pete Sampras, which perhaps explains his focus on the serve.

Raonic has had to deal with quite a few injuries in his career, which has hampered his progress a little. However, the fact that he has such a unique weapon in his serve has meant that he will always be a big threat to every player, irrespective of how much time he has spent on the sidelines.

Raonic is considered by many to be a future Wimbledon champion, and he still has plenty of time to make good on that promise.

Social media presence:

Milos Raonic Instagram: @mraonic

Milos Raonic Twitter: @milosraonic