Thursday, February 24, 2011

Another game for Milos (Raonic)! Getting to know the rising star.

Game Point is Busted Racquet's roundup of facts, figures and links from around the web.

Milos Raonic won the first tournament of his brief ATP career on Sunday. Busted Racquet introduces you to the up and coming star:

Love -- One year ago, the 20-year-old Canadian was ranked No. 361 in the world. At the end of 2010 he was No. 156 and up until one month ago, he still had yet to crack the top 150. After winning three qualifying matches to get into the main draw at the Australian Open, Raonic made a run to the fourth-round in Melbourne and raised his ranking to No. 94. He qualified in South Africa, won a match, was granted a wild card to San Jose and ended up winning the first ATP tournament of his career. Raonic's ranking now stands at No. 59. To call his rise meteoric might be underselling it a bit. 

15 -- Up until San Jose, Raonic had lost more matches than he would won on Tour. So little was his standing in the ATP that his name appears just once in the 2011 media guide (in a list of the top 250 players at the end of last season). The Canadian doesn't even warrant a bio. Bjorn Phau, on the other hand, got a page. 

30 -- Not surprisingly, the big server grew up idolizing Pete Sampras, whose matches he used to videotape. Raonic was born three months after Pistol Pete won his first Grand Slam.

40 -- Raonic defeated Fernando Verdasco in Sunday's final. The two will meet again Wednesday night in Memphis. The Spaniard said after his straight-set loss that Raonic is on a collision course for the top 20. 

Game -- Jerry Seinfeld frequently attends the US Open. Here's hoping he catches a Raonic match this year:  

If Milos celebrates a win with either that or Elaine's little kicks dance, he has a fan for life. 

Jennifer Love Hewitt Tina Fey Gina Philips Jamie Gunns Ananda Lewis

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