Happy return for Milos Raonic after two-year heartbreak

On the face of it there was nothing extraordinary about Canadian Milos Raonic’s fiftieth Tour- degree win on grass within the opening spherical of this week’s s’-Hertogenbosch match – a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Miomir Kecmanovic.

But for the previous world No.3 it marked the tip of an damage nightmare that sidelined him for 2 years and made him doubt whether or not he would ever play once more.

The big-serving 32-year-old was as soon as a daily within the second week of grand slam tournaments and he reached the Wimbledon closing in 2016 when he was overwhelmed by Andy Murray.

But the accidents that had nagged him all through his profession returned with a vengeance in 2021 and after three months out with leg accidents one other comeback stalled and he took a hiatus from the sport that regarded like changing into everlasting.

So Monday’s win over Kecmanovic was an emotional one for the Montenegro-born right-hander whose breakthrough impressed a brand new technology of Canucks comparable to Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov and 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez.

“It’s nice to be here after almost two years now and stepping away for a long time,” Raonic informed ATPTour.com.

“It’s nice to be giving it one more try and hopefully going as far as I can. I’ve put in the best effort I could, and I want to see how far it takes me.”

Raonic regarded composed all through the competition through which he supplied loads of glimpses of the serving energy and thunderous forehand, however conceded he had been nervous.

“I didn’t get to hit a single tennis ball for a full year, now I get to play in front of a bunch of people,” Raonic stated. “It was pretty nerve-racking, I forgot that feeling.”

Raonic, who’s enjoying with a protected rating, stated he’s taking issues ‘daily’ and simply having fun with the trip, after his very long time away.

“It’s been a little heartbreaking a lot of the time when I couldn’t do anything and it’s nice for me to be here one more time,” he stated.

“I get the chance to be on court, the chance to play, I get the chance to compete, to put in the work, and I get a chance to see how far it takes me, so I’m thankful.”