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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, March 16, 2018

 
Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic ripped 17 aces stopping Sam Querrey, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, to reach the Indian Wells semifinals for the third time.

Photo credit: @BNP Paribas Open

Returns were sailing and frustrations were boiling as Milos Raonic slammed his Wilson Blade off the bottom of his shoe.

Venting with self-inflicted body blows and barking at his box, Raonic’s performance wasn’t always pretty, but the result was thoroughly satisfying.

Watch: Indian Wells Live Blog

The 32nd-seeded Raonic clubbed 17 aces defeating Sam Querrey, 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, charging into the Indian Wells semifinals for the third time.

The 27-year-old Canadian will play either 2009 US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro or 31st-seeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber for a spot in the final.

"I gotta serve better," Raonic told ESPN's Pam Shriver of the key to reaching his second Indian Wells final. "That’s my best thing. I gotta step up and I gotta do what I do well."

A resourceful Raonic didn’t play his best tennis today, but he competed with desire and served with more authority at crunch time.




Raonic denied six of nine break points, including fighting off three break points when he served for the semifinals.

“I’m very happy with the way I was able to put it together today,” Raonic told ESPN’s Pam Shriver afterward. “Every match is important. That’s the one thing I miss—is playing matches. The more opportunity I have to come out on court each day, the happier I am.”

The 18th-seeded Querrey is likely in no mood for a happy meal after this gut-wrenching loss.

Contesting his 70th Masters tournament, the lanky Californian was playing for his first trip to a Masters 1000 semifinal—and to crack the Top 10 for the first time.

Querrey dominated much of the opening set and served for it at 5-4, but Raonic responded with a five-game run to snatch a first set that seemed out of reach.

In sloppy start, Raonic missed the mark with an inside-out forehand dropping serve to open the match.

That quick break emboldened Querrey, who cranked a 130-mph ace to confirm the break and erupted for a 136 mph missile holding for 3-1. Cruising through service games, Querrey capped another love hold for 5-3—he dropped just two points in his first four service games.

All that good work Querrey did dissipated when he served for the set. Quickly falling behind love-30, Querrey flicked a stretched backhand long to drop serve and give Raonic renewed life. Querrey switched racquets after that demoralizing lapse.

The 2016 finalist caught fire torching through nine straight points, including a forehand return winner to open the 12th game.

A jittery Querrey faced triple set point trying to force the tie break. Querrey saved two set points but missed a first serve on the third. Reading the second serve, Raonic rapped a backhand return winner down the line snatching a one-set lead with a scream.

Raonic ripped through five straight games before Querrey turned the tables in the second set, rolling through six of the next eight games as a flat-footed Raonic could not stay in step.




Asked to assess the situation, former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, who is working with Raonic on a trial basis, pulled no punches.

“t’s been a terrible match,” Ivanisevic told ESPN’s Pam Shriver after the second set, predicting the winner would be the one “who is gonna play less bad” in the final set.

Serving at 2-3, Querrey cranked a 134 mph serve down the T and earned a tough hold when Raonic netted a drop shot attempt.

Though Querrey actually won more second-serve points (65 percent to 47 percent) than Raonic and faced four fewer break points, the American served only 50 percent and could not land his first serve when he needed it most.

Querrey netted a mid-court forehand to face break point. Raonic ran around a backhand and blasted a diagonal forehand return off an 85 mph second serve breaking for 5-3.

The final game was the most dramatic of the match with Raonic repelling three break points. Querrey cracked a backhand pass down the line to save match point.

A 121mph bolt down the middle saved a second break point. Raonic made a tremendous backhand stab on a serve-and-volley but backpedaled and bungled a bounce smash staring into the sun. T

hat miss gave Querrey a third break point.

The Canadian never backed off his attack, catching the edge of the center stripe to save the third break point.

A 143 mph missile brought a second match point and Raonic closed with a forehand down the line.

 

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