By Chris Oddo | Friday, October 31, 2014

 

Milos Raonic upset Roger Federer in Paris to keep his hopes of reaching the year-end finals alive.

Photo Source: AFP

Milos Raonic had no tricks up his sleeves on Halloween in Paris, just hard, thunderinig serves and forehands.

The Canadian, apparently costumed as Roger Federer's grim reaper, threw a serious wrench into the Swiss maestro’s plans to reclaim the ATP’s No. 1 ranking on Friday in Paris, taking out the world No. 2 for the first time in seven tries, 7-6(5), 7-5, to reach the semifinals of the BNP Paribas Masters.

Raonic boosts his own hopes of reaching the ATP World Tour Finals with the victory, though he will still need help if he cannot win the title.

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The Canadian, who is bidding to become the first player born in the 1990’s and the first singles player from his country to reach the year-end championships in London, hammered 22 aces and matched nerve with Federer throughout the one hour and 33 minute contest to snap the world No. 2’s 14-match winning streak and deal a significant blow to Federer’s hopes of reclaiming the tour’s No. 1 ranking.

Federer will now enter London at least 490 points behind Djokovic, but if the Serb continues to progress in Paris, the gap will increase.

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After rallying from a mini-break down in the first-set tiebreaker, sealing it with an ace down the T, Raonic was able to save a set point on his serve at 4-5 (with an ace) in the second set before turning the tables on Federer in the next game.

Raonic sealed the match’s only break, just his second in the pair’s seven career tilts, by rifling a crosscourt backhand past a net-rushing Federer to give himself a chance to serve for the match.

He did not falter, holding to 15 to seal one of the biggest—if not the biggest—victories of his career.

Raonic finishes with 45 winners (including 18 from the baseline) against 21 unforced errors, while Federer finished with eight aces, 25 winners and 13 unforced errors.

It was Federer’s first loss since the US Open semifinals.

Raonic can assure a London bid if he wins the title, but even if he fails to take the title, he can still qualify for London if he goes one round further than David Ferrer.

Ferrer will face Kei Nishikori in the last match of the day of Paris.