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Milos Raonic v Daniel Gimeno-Traver. Day 1 of Wimbledon 2015. Photo by: Carine06- Wikimedia

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic, a Canadian, surfaced last January, making it through Australian Open qualifying and then scoring a few setbacks on his way to the fourth round. Raonic devoted the majority of his time on the Challenger and Futures Tours just before to his major advance. He is now ranked in the top 40 in the world, with three titles to his name and counting. Here are somethings you might not know about him:

1. Raonic’s childhood background and personal life

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

Raonic began playing tennis at the age of eight and worked closely with coach Casey Curtis in his early years. His childhood idol was Pete Sampras, which may justify his focus on the serve.

Raonic has had to deal with a number of injuries throughout his career, which has slowed his progress slightly. Even so, because he has such a unique weapon in his serve, he will always pose a significant threat to every player, regardless of how much time he has spent on the bench.

Raonic is widely regarded as a future Wimbledon champion, and he still has plenty of time to deliver on that promise.

2. How good is Raonic in the court?

Milos Raonic at the 2013 Wimbledon Championship. Photo by: Diliff- Wikimedia

Raonic’s most powerful weapon is certainly his serve, which has already reached mythical proportions. Raonic’s serve is statistically the third best in the Open Era, and it’s clear every time he steps on the court.

Raonic can hit an unbelievable first and second serve, as well as a wicked kick serve, to force his opponents off the court. Even though he doesn’t have the best volleys, his serve is so effective that he can regularly come in behind it and win points at the net.

Raonic’s forehand is yet another valuable weapon in his portfolio, and he hits it flat and deep to complement his serve. Raonic can hit his forehand in any direction and is adept at doing so while on the move.

Two of the Canadian’s most obvious flaws are his motion and backhand. Since he is tall, he finds it difficult to change direction while running, which his opponents frequently exploit. Meanwhile, his backhand lacks the power and depth of his other wing, and he often runs around it to hit a forehand.

Raonic’s touch is also lacking, and he struggles to hit the slice or volley with enough finesse.

3. There’s a song about him

Last year, a group of young Canadians wrote a song about Raonic and how he’s “revolutionized tennis in Canada,” filmed it, and uploaded it to YouTube. When asked if he had heard the song, Raonic replied, “I think it’s pretty sweet and nice, especially considering it was actually a school project.”

I even got one of the kids’ e-mails and sent them a thank you note because I thought it was a good move on their part.”

“But I hope for the kids that they got a good grade on their assignment, or maybe the teacher doesn’t think I was one of the big things to change in that last week in Canada,” he continued.

4. Raonic’s idol is Pete Sampras

ATP World Tour Finals, the O2, London November 2011. Photo by: Carine06- Wikimedia

Raonic is open about the fact that Pete Sampras was his idol growing up, and the similarities between the two are uncanny. Raonic met him for the first time last year in San Jose and described the experience as “surreal,” adding, “It was nice to connect the man to the game that I watched for so many hours.” 

I taped the majority of his matches and watched them over and over. My parents would let me stay up late if he was playing in Melbourne. Sampras was the person to look up to, the role model to emulate. It’s different meeting someone you’ve always admired.”

5. Raonic is a real patriot of Canada

Raonic has remained loyal to his Canadian ties despite not being born in Canada (he was born in what is now Podgorica, Montenegro and moved to Canada with his family when he was three years old). “Defending the Canadian flag is very meaningful to me.” And it’s not just in tennis. “I don’t watch hockey as much as the average Canadian, but I do support several Canadian teams,” he explained. “Basically, it’s a country full of wonderful things.” So, yes, I am proud to be a Canadian.”

6. Summer camp was his beginning

Raonic has stated that he began playing tennis at the age of eight at a summer camp. “A coach told me not to give up the sport,” he explained. Later, his father found a place for him to play, and he began his recreational career, which “led to something much bigger.” “That is why I am here today,” he explained.

7. How many titles has Raonic won?

Milos Raonic at the 2013 Wimbledon Championship. Photo by: David Iliff- Wikimedia

As of August 29, 2020, Raonic had won eight ATP titles. His most notable victory came in 2014 at the Citi Open in Washington, DC. The Canadian has yet to win a Masters 1000 championship. The Canadian has reached the world No. 3 ranking, the highest ever achieved by a Canadian in singles.

8. What is Raonic’s best Grand Slam performance?

Raonic became the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final in 2016 at Wimbledon. In the semi-finals, he defeated Roger Federer in five sets before losing to Andy Murray in the final. As of August 29, 2020, he had an 87-32 record in Grand Slam main draw matches. He has advanced to ten Grand Slam quarterfinals and three Grand Slam semi-finals.

9. What does he do for pleasure?

Raonic is very enthusiastic about art. Raonic’s great uncle was one of Montenegro’s most famous artists. He has been involved in the art world for about six years, visiting galleries and shows whenever he can while on the road. It all started for him about six years ago, when he began to spend more time in New York City. When he’s on the road, he says it keeps him emotionally and intellectually stimulated.

10. Shapovalov pleased Raonic, who is recovering well from wrist surgery

Raonic stated that he had been watching Shapovalov “very closely” during the US Open and was pleasantly surprised by the 18-year-old.

The Richmond Hill, Ont., native advanced to the fourth round before losing to Pablo Carreno Busta at Flushing Meadows. That performance came three weeks after reaching the Rogers Cup semifinals in Montreal.

Shapovalov has been “fun to watch,” Raonic said. “Montreal, here, both of them, he stepped up when he had the opportunities, and being Canadian made it especially fun to watch.”

“He plays with that fire, he uses the crowd well, and he’s stepped up when given the opportunity.”