TENNIS ATP TORONTO – 4th of August 2014. An interview with Milos Raonic
Q. In terms of special moments thus far in your career, where would you rank playing in the first all Canadian final? And did you get a chance to speak with Vasek after your victory?
MILOS RAONIC: I’d say it’s probably maybe, I would say, the second biggest thing for Canadian tennis. In that aspect, I think probably Wimbledon, the collection of everybody doing well, was bigger. But I’d probably say this is the second biggest thing, two Canadians facing off in the finals of an event and also with the hype being built around this tournament, as well, Canadians coming home. It’s up there.
We spoke a little bit, but we didn’t have a chance to speak much because we were rushing to get on flights to get back over here, because, as you know, yesterday is already sort of behind us and you have to get ready to play for your next rounds here.
Q. What do you think the difference was in the match yesterday?
MILOS RAONIC: I think I just played well. I started off well from the start. I had break chances in every game and break chances that I had good looks at in all the games.
So it’s hard. I think when I’m playing that way I think I can deal with whoever and whichever situation.
Q. I know growing up, Wimbledon was probably a big tournament for you. I had a chance to talk to Casey last week. I just wanted to find out how big is the Rogers Cup for you like as a child when you were growing up?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, it was the only tournament I went to as a spectator on the ATP Tour. I never really traveled to any other ones unless it was for competition kind of purposes.
So I remember when it was just down a few blocks away down the street, they used to have like under 12 kids playing for 10 minutes before the matches. I did that once. Rogers Cup memories back at that old venue were really big for me.
I always tried to find a way Casey always wanted me training that week, but I’d always try to find a way to sneak away to the tournament. It is definitely a big tournament for me and the only one I really attended.
Q. In the month or so since Wimbledon when Canadian tennis jumped to a entirely different level, is there an off court moment that stands out to you where you sat back and thought, wow, this has just gotten huge?
MILOS RAONIC: I think probably the coverage of it all, but I sort of, with a purpose, when I got away from Wimbledon stayed away completely just because I was very frustrated with Wimbledon. I was very frustrated with a lot of things.
Obviously when I look at a big picture there are a lot of great things from it from myself, but I was very frustrated with the way things ended off. So I disconnected myself. When I got back to training, I sort of trained away from a tennis atmosphere as well. I was training in the sort of gym I wouldn’t normally use just to sort of be able to focus on myself, use that sort of anger that I sort of built up across what happened at the end of Wimbledon and motivate myself, and then I only really got back into it and I was already in Washington by that time.
Q. When casual fans think about you, I think they still associate you with the serve. Is that something that you think might start changing over time, and how has the serve even changed in the last year or so, or has it?
MILOS RAONIC: Will it start changing? I don’t know. Do I mind? Not at all. I think even when I face off against opponents it’s something that gives them discomfort, and if that’s how people see it, I’m fine with that.
My job is to go out there and win matches, and that’s what I take the most pride in. I have been doing that consistently better and better this year.
Q. Has the serve improved or have you changed it at all?
MILOS RAONIC: It has improved. I haven’t changed really much. I have put more focus on it, I would say, just getting out there and hitting more serves. I think my numbers on my serve have improved, and as well the way I back up my serve, it’s just been more difficult for my opponents.
Q. What are the one or two best matches you have played this year?
MILOS RAONIC: I played great against Novak in Rome. And I’d probably say another very important one, for myself that’s a good question I’d probably say getting through that first match I didn’t play my best tennis, but getting through that first match mentally in Indian Wells after that injury was very key for me and gave me a lot of answers that I was able to carry through for the rest of all the tournaments I played.
Q. I was speaking to fans outside. They are so excited to see you play. What’s that mean to you to play in a place filled with Canadian fans?
MILOS RAONIC: It’s great. I look forward to it, as much as at the same time, you sort of try to tune that out and try to treat it like any other match, not to let that overtake you, that atmosphere.
Playing at home, playing with that kind of energy, it helps you when things are going well and helps you even more if things aren’t going well, and I look forward to feeding off that. It’s the tournament I would say I look forward to probably the most as far as atmosphere goes and one of the more, probably one of the most important tournaments to me and my schedule.
Q. The run for you guys last year in the Davis Cup, how has 2013’s run in the Davis Cup helped out your 2014?
MILOS RAONIC: It helped me out a lot of ways. Helped me out even in 2013. It helped me out when necessarily I wasn’t playing my best, helped me get a lot of confidence, a lot of matches, a lot of sort of behind me.
Then later on, it’s just helped me out to learn ways to win, especially with how few three out of five set matches we get depending on how you do at slams. It definitely helps out learning how to play that way.
We have a great even though the setup in Davis Cup is a little bit different with coaching on court, there necessarily isn’t always too much involvement if you sort of understand and things go well and you can always learn that and use that to get better in the way you deal with those kind of longer situations in Grand Slams.
