Raonic Downs Former Champ Wawrinka To Set Isner Clash

A pair of set points saved. It was the only momentum shift Milos Raonic needed to run out a straight sets winner over 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka in the US Open third round on Friday.

In a showdown between two former No. 3s in the ATP Rankings – both slowly rebuilding after extended stints sidelined due to injuries – it was the Canadian No. 25 seed that lifted as the match wore on. His 7-6(6), 6-4, 6-3 victory was just his second in six FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings between the pair.

In a battle of the big servers, Raonic will meet the last-standing American, John Isner, for a place in his first US Open quarter-final. The No. 11 seed, who reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final at Flushing Meadows seven years ago, posted a 7-6(8), 6-7(6), 6-3, 7-5 victory over Serbian Dusan Lajovic.

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Wawrinka had required a wild card to make this year’s US Open main draw as he continued his climb back up the ATP Rankings after two knee surgeries. But the Swiss had shown glimpses of his brilliant best with a second straight first-round victory over Grigor Dimitrov in a Grand Slam.

Against Raonic, he was producing the higher level in the opening set and pulled off the point of the match when he ran down a drop volley to guide a forehand pass down the line in the opening point of the first-set tie-break. The Swiss brought up two set points but the Canadian saved both and snatched the set when Wawrinka slapped an errant forehand.

It was the only let-off Raonic needed. He never faced a break point in the final two sets and finished with 14 aces in the two-hour, 11-minute encounter. 

Isner later registered his fifth triumph over Lajovic in six FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings to prevail in four sets. The No. 11 seed converted on just two of 13 break point chances but was rock solid on his own serve. He fended off all three break points and hammered down 34 aces in the three-hour, 25-minute affair.

Isner, who claimed his fifth BB&T Atlanta Open title last month, will favour his chances against Raonic, having taken down the Canadian in this year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals. The American leads the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-1.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2NFgHyf