Milos Raonic has reached his first ATP Masters 1000 final since finishing runner-up to Novak Djokovic the Paribas Open in Indian Wells in 2016 after a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in 1 hour and 37 minutes.
Raonic beat Tsitsipas for the second time this year after his 7-5 6-4 7-6 (7-2) win in their first head-to-head match at last January’s Australian Open.
The Canadian player has won each of his 28 service games and faced just one break point. He saved a set point with a series of forehands at 5-6 30-40 in the first set, which featured only one break point.
Raonic rallied from a mini-break down and hit two consecutive forehand winners at 5-5 to seal the tie-break of the first set.
Raonic became the first player to break Tsitsipas’ serve on his first break point at 2-1 with a backhand passing shot. The North-American player served out the match to love and sealed the win with his strong serve.
Raonic set up a final against either Novak Djokovic or Roberto Bautista Agut.
“It would be incredible to win an ATP Masters 1000 title. Just generally as part of my career, it’s the past six months coming back and playing. Just with everything else, I want to go to heights I have not achieved yet and this is a part of it. Thhis is what I have worked hard for with very clear, specific goals and I hope that I can get that step closer and maybe make a difference tomorrow”, said Raonic.
