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Milos Raonic is as Canadian as it gets. His name – a neon sign showing the world of the diversity of the country. A place where cultural differences are embraced with open arms, and each person, regardless of background, is given every opportunity to succeed based on merit. Born in Titograd, Yugoslavia (now Montenegro), Raonic has lived in Thornhill, Ontario since he was 3 years old.

At age 20, now 37th in the world, Raonic is the highest ranked Canadian male tennis player in history, and after his start to the 2011 tennis season – playing in the quarter-finals at the 2011 Australian Open, winning his first title in San Jose, and being a runner up to Andy Roddick in Memphis – he has the entire tennis world buzzing in anticipation of how just how good he will become.

What Makes Him Canadian

He Doesn’t Take Himself Too Seriously

The final of the Regions Morgan Keegan Open in Memphis was ended with a spectacular shot by Andy Roddick. If you haven’t seen it, or you want to watch it over and over again, here it is:

Following the match, a gracious Raonic said, “I think I may be on one of the YouTube most-viewed points. I was on the wrong end of the court, but at least I’ll be on the (description).” (Associated Press)

To put Roddick’s shot into context, speaking about it in his post-match interview, he said, “It was the best shot I’ve ever hit, by far, considering the circumstances.”

Drive and Determination

Despite Raonic’s refreshingly lighthearted demeanour, it is evident that a fire burns within him. He has the desire to be one of the best tennis players in the world, and he’s willing to put in the work to get there. And you can see it in his attitude following his loss to Roddick:

“This is only the beginning, and after this: keep working, keep developing, keep improving, and see what else I can achieve.”

What is evident is his aptitude for learning, a keen understanding of where his game is at, and where it needs to get to. In an October interview on the ATP World Tour website he spells it out:

“There are a lot of places I can improve upon. I don’t mind the work. I’m going to work on getting better off the ground, on the return, transitioning to the net so I can put more pressure.”

And if you ever wonder if he’ll have the wherewithal to do what it takes to get to the top, realize that tennis has been a lifelong passion and dream, and he has never shied away from putting in the time.

“Ever since six or seven, he loved the game, and when he started playing it, he was always dedicated. Can you imagine an 11 year old boy, he goes to school but every day he’s up at 5:30 in the morning to go to practice, and then someone picks him up after school and he practices all night, and he never complained, not once.” (quote from Raonic’s mother, Vesna, from Mark Zwolinski of The Star)

Raonic is part of a new generation of Canadian athletes – the same group that not only competed in, but dominated the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games. There seems to be a newfound sense of self-belief and national pride within the country: neither the athletes, nor their supporters back home, are content with second place anymore.

Humility

Of course, Raonic could not possibly be a Canadian athlete unless he displayed an overwhelming sense of humility and a deep appreciation of the gifts he has been given. It seems to come with the territory.

The young tennis phenom is yet another shining example of this, and with his future superstardom potentially entering the leagues of such Canadians as Sidney Crosby and Steve Nash he will be just as strong of a role model for future generations.

He is well aware of the influence being one of the world’s top players will allow him, and he’s ready to embrace his duty.

“You can do a lot for the country, and it’s something Canada could really benefit from right now. And I would like to be a big ambassador to helping out with that” (from by Nicole Watts of The Toronto Observer)

What Makes Him Incredible

The Power Serve

Even if you’re not a tennis fan, chances are you’ve already heard about the legendary Raonic serve. With comparisons to that of Pete Sampras – the greatest server of all time – it’s quite possibly the most lethal service in the world, already. But what is it that makes his serve so much better than that of Andy Roddick or Ivo Karlovic?

Since he began playing tennis at Richmond Hill’s Blackmore Tennis Club at the age of nine, club head coach, Casey Curtis, focused on the shot.

“You spend a lot of time on the serve anyway but because we knew he was going to be tall we spent more time.”

In an article by Morgan Campbell of The Star, Curtis talks about how unlike most tennis players who have a preferred choice of serve, Raonic uses all four options – slice, top-spin, kick, and flat – with equal effectiveness. The result is that, like a baseball pitcher on the mound, he is picking his spots with lethal accuracy.

Following his loss in San Jose, the 9th ranked player in the world, Fernando Verdasco, talked about how difficult it is to deal with Raonic’s serve, albeit in his broken English:

“I think there must be another league for he and (Ivo) Karlovic because it’s like another sport. When you serve every time 140mph and every time you have chance he’s going to the line, you can’t do anything.”

One unparalleled key to his service motion – a consistent toss. Most players vary their toss, even slightly, for different serves, allowing savvy returners to prepare for what’s coming, but Raonic does no such thing.

Coach Curtis talks about the importance of disguising the serve:

“If you don’t know which serve he’s hitting you also don’t know where he’s hitting it,” Curtis says. “He disguises his serve better than most players.”

By the way, if you’re amazed with his serve now, just wait until Raonic grows into his frame.

“Once Raonic has matured physically Curtis says he’ll shatter the existing record for fastest serve (Andy Roddick’s 249.6 km/h)”

Roddick’s 249.6km/h equates to 155.09 mph. According to Wikipedia, Raonic’s fastest serve thus far is 150 mph, clocked at the Memphis tournament. He’s not far.

The Rest of His Game

Raonic has not become the 37th ranked player in the world based solely on his serve. Tennis expert, Matt Cronin, explains on Fox Sports that there is more to his game:

“A powerful, varied forehand, a solid and occasionally lethal two-handed backhand, decent touch at the net and composure under fire.”

His groundstrokes are already good, and working with coach Galo Blanco, a clay-court specialist, they will only improve. It has been noted that the weakest part of his game over the years has been a fiery temper, and this is yet another facet that Raonic continues to work on.

“If I had to pinpoint one thing helped me the most with my recent success it’s my mental strength. I am able to see the game more clearly and focus better in my matches because I haven’t been losing my temper or letting my mind go “berserk.” I feel much more calm and stable on court knowing I can always find a solution.” (from the previously mentioned interview at ATPworldtour.com)

What Should We Expect

If you’re wondering what you should be looking forward to on Raonic’s horizon, note the two Grand Slam Tournaments coming up – The French Open at the end of May, and Wimbledon, in June.

Although Raonic probably hasn’t developed the ground game to yet contend for the trophy at Roland Garros – as long as Nadal, the greatest claycourter of all time, is healthy, it would be tough for anyone to challenge – Wimbledon should play right into the power server’s hands.

“I would love to win Wimbledon. My idol Pete Sampras was so successful there and I saw him win many of them.”

And there you have it, Raonic has his sights set.

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Sources: information and quotes for this article, in order, from: Associated Press,
ATP World Tour website, The Star, The Toronto Observer, The Star, Wikipedia,
Fox Sports