For a player who has rewritten the history of tennis in Canada, Milos Raonic has admitted that has reached a crossroad in his career in a personal piece published on The Players’ Tribune.
Writing a letter addressed to his future self, the world No.4 reminisce about his younger years on the tour. Raonic reflected on his dream to one day reach the world’s top 50. Like many of his rivals, the Canadian had to make sacrifices to achieve his goal. He wrote about the two-off seasons he spent alone in Barcelona with nobody guiding him.
“Remember those two off-seasons in Barcelona in 2011 and 2012 — living by yourself in that 250-square-foot dorm room near the university? You found yourself wanting for nothing. You weren’t surrounded by other players, or coaches, or the constant chatter about rankings. It was just about you and your game and no one was there looking over your shoulder.” Raonic wrote.
Since those Barcelona years, the 25-year-old has broken through onto the main tour. At the 2016 Wimbledon Championships he became the first male player from his country to reach the final. Meanwhile, on the ATP Tour he has won eight titles with his most recent occurring at the 2016 Brisbane International. Blessed with one of the strongest serves on the men’s tour, he managed to reach a career high of third last November.
Raonic might find some comfort in achieving his childhood goals, but now he finds himself in a somewhat perplexed situation. He is ranked in the world’s top five, but his achievements are far from those of the ‘Big Four’.
“Sometimes I wonder if, by focusing on my goal, am I letting the world pass me by? Or is achieving my goal, through sheer persistence and drive, worth the sacrifices I have to make?
“My biggest phobia at this point in my life is the possibility that someday I’ll look back and feel like I didn’t realize my full potential as a player. That I didn’t get to No. 1. That I didn’t win the multiple Slams.”
It is unknown what the future holds for Raonic and his rivals on the tour. In an ideal world, he would rise to the top of the rankings and clinch that elusive grand slam title. Unfortunately, the world is far from predictable, so instead he hopes for a more meaningful outcome to his career when it ends.
“Right now, you are No. 4. I wonder how, in your old age, that makes you feel. I wonder what’s going to happen in the future. I wonder if I’ll climb the last three steps to No. 1. There’s a lot I can’t control. I guess that’s why I’m so meticulous about the things I can — my work ethic, my persistence, my energy.
I don’t know what is going to happen next. I just hope that when you read this, you can tell yourself, “I took every step that I thought was right, in the moment.”
Raonic will play his next tournament in two weeks time at the Delray Beach Open.
