Sports

Milos Raonic has reason for optimism after NBO run ends in round of 16

Published

1 year ago

August 11, 2023

TORONTO — For two days, Milos Raonic delighted the crowd and surprised himself with some inspired play at the National Bank Open. In the round of 16, though, his unexpected run ended with the same abruptness of an off-line serve thwapping the net.

Attempting to make his first quarterfinal at a tour-level event since 2020, the Canadian was dispatched 6-3, 6-3 by American Mackenzie McDonald on Thursday afternoon on centre court at Sobeys Stadium. A 90-minute pause for the rain only delayed what felt inevitable from the first game, when Raonic opened the match by winning two service points on two touches of the ball before McDonald — who will now play his first-ever quarterfinal match at this level — claimed four straight points to break his opponent.

From there, it was a lot of anguished looks and angry muttering; the guy who was getting after it through two convincing match wins was suddenly getting after himself as he failed to establish any rhythm at all against McDonald. There were gimmie backhands at the net that failed to get over the tape; cream-puff second serves to the forehand Raonic swatted wide and even some put-it-on-the-board overhead smashes he whacked outside the lines.

“It was a tough match,” Raonic said. “Just some sloppy mistakes. I was up 30-0 that first game and I think I missed three forehands [after that]. When you start that way, he gets comfortable…”

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The signature serve that was such a boon for Raonic against Frances Tiafoe and Taro Daniel at the NBO completely abandoned him versus McDonald. The 32-year-old landed just 71 per cent of his first serves in the box and committed five double-faults— including one to end the first set — compared to nine aces, three of which occurred in a consecutive burst late in the second set when the match outcome wasn’t really in doubt.

Compare that to the No. 59-ranked McDonald, who landed 87 per cent of his first serves and, at one point, won 12 straight service points to open the second set. The 28-year-old put a fine point on the disparity between the two players’ serves by closing out Raonic — on triple-match point — with an ace.

What was supposed to be an advantage for Raonic turned into a complete liability.

“Just didn’t have that same speed on the serve I needed,” said Raonic, who had 37 aces versus Tiafoe in Round 1 and won 90 per cent of his first-serve points versus Daniel in Round 2. “[I] just needed to be better [serving] and I wasn’t able to be.”

After Raonic beat Daniel on Wednesday, he candidly acknowledged he didn’t really expect to play well in two consecutive matches. After all, this is a guy who missed nearly two years of action with an Achilles ailment. Frustrating as the 32 unforced errors against McDonald were, Raonic said he’s secure in the fact he did all he could to prepare for the NBO and put his best sneaker forward once here.

“I did everything I could and it took me where it did,” a placid and seemingly content Raonic said post-match. “You can’t discredit what two years away from that intensity does.”

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Maybe things came to an end a few days before everyone hoped, but the first half of this tournament was defined by the excitement generated by the kid who grew up just down the road in Thornhill, Ont. “Let’s go Mi-los!” chants helped fuel his play during a huge prime-time upset of Tiafoe on Monday and he carried that success over to the straight-sets win versus Daniel two days later. When McDonald crushed his final point of the afternoon to end Raonic’s tournament on Thursday, there was a very brief moment of mourning before the applause picked up and fans let the lone Canadian left in the singles draw know how much they apricated his efforts.

Not surprisingly, the feeling was reciprocated.

“I got the sense of it just through the noise,” said Raonic. “And I think it’s probably the most special and endearing thing about these three matches, from Monday night to yesterday to today, through the ups and downs of it all, that energy that you can’t quantify in any way or you can’t put a name to it. I’m extremely grateful for that. And [with] all the ups and downs over the last months and years, that makes it worth it far and beyond.”

Raonic, a former world No. 3 who made the 2016 Wimbledon final, arrived at this tournament being asked about the possibility of retirement. Maybe that was a bit premature, but there’s no doubt Raonic — playing just his third event since returning from injury in June — had a lot to prove to himself and the tennis community. Two wins by no means indicates the guy who used to compete for Grand Slams is ready to return to the sport’s elite circles, but it’s a clear step in the right direction. Raonic was nowhere close to declaring he’d be back in his hometown again in 2025, when the men will again play in Toronto, but he certainly doesn’t sound like an athlete who is glancing out toward the sunset. The strong showing in Toronto solidified a belief in his mind there are more matches to be won.

“If all things are well, I can get myself in the right position, I can get myself ready to produce a high level of tennis,” Raonic said when asked about takeaways from this tournament. “I think I can still play at a very high level that isn’t very different from where I was — which is crazy to say — years ago now.”

And for the first time in a long while with Raonic, you get the feeling there could still be years ahead.

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Sports

Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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AP cricket:

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Sports

Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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