Milos Raonic overcomes dissatisfaction at Canadian Open, wins in three sets

Posted : 08 August 2023

Milos Raonic expressed his dissatisfaction after a peculiar net call went against him at the Canadian Open, though he managed to regain his composure and deliver a stunning victory over Frances Tiafoe in three sets. The situation arose when Tiafoe seemed to have lost a point due to hitting the net after running for a ball, but the specific area of the net he touched played a decisive role in the outcome.

Raonic's powerful performance included 37 aces, propelling him to triumph over the ninth seed Frances Tiafoe at the Canadian Open. In a match that could potentially mark his final appearance on home soil before retirement, the 545th-ranked player secured a hard-fought victory with scores of 6-7(12), 7-6(4), 6-3.

The focal point of the encounter centered around a critical call made by the umpire during a gripping tie-break in the first set. At a score of 13-12 in favor of Tiafoe, a complex situation arose when Tiafoe retrieved a short ball after Raonic's shot had struck the net cord. Although he managed to flick the ball past Raonic, his momentum propelled him into the net, creating uncertainty regarding the point's allocation.

As per ATP rules, if a player touches the net before the ball has bounced twice, they forfeit the point. However, in this case, chair umpire Fergus Murphy took a moment before awarding the point to Tiafoe, as his interaction with the net occurred at a specific area near the net post. The supervisor was subsequently summoned onto the court to elucidate the decision to both players.

Raonic contested the call and expressed his frustration by smashing his racquet before leaving the court. As boos resonated from the stands, Murphy clarified that Tiafoe had interacted with a portion of the net that did not count, and therefore, he did not touch the net before hitting the winning shot.

Reflecting on the situation, Raonic stated, "I don't have faith that they were being completely honest, but it is what it is. I think they just handled it badly. Whatever the rule (was), I just don't think it was handled (well)." Despite this contention, Raonic managed to gather himself and channel the crowd's energy to secure an impressive victory.

Returning to the tour after a two-year hiatus at the beginning of the grass season, Raonic is considering the possibility of retiring after this hard-court summer. His remarkable display of 37 aces against Tiafoe was just one short of his three-set record of 38 in 2011. Notably, this win marked his first victory over a top-10 player since 2020.

Raonic is set to face Taro Daniel in the next round, and his journey continues amidst speculation about his future.

Milos Raonic overcomes dissatisfaction at Canadian Open, wins in three sets

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