Federer Rolls Past Raonic in London Opener
Roger Federer began his London campaign on Sunday by defeating powerful Canadian Milos Raonic 6-1, 7-6(0) on the opening night of the ATP Year-End Finals. The six-time champion at the year-end event was able to exact some revenge on Raonic, who beat him in the Paris quarterfinals last month.
The first set was an absolutely dominant performance by Federer. He lost just four of his service points and was able to fight off five aces from the big-serving Raonic, cruising to a 25-minute set win.
Federer’s form dipped in the second frame which handed Raonic an opportunity to get himself back into the match. Unfortunately for Raonic, the youngest player in the tournament, he was unable to capitalize on any of the three break point chances he had in the set.
He was able to stagger Federer’s aggressiveness during the set as the Swiss was unable to attack the net the way he did in the opening frame. The set would head into a tiebreak which was all Federer. Raonic opened it up with a poor forehand that gave Federer the opening point and he did not look back, eventually wrapping the match up in 89 minutes.
“Thankfully he didn’t play quite so well like he did in Paris,” said Federer. “He gave me a few shots here and there, especially at the beginning of the breaker. I think those were crucial. I was happy to bring it home because it was very close at the end of the second.”
Raonic was unable to notch a single break point in the match, including four missed opportunities in a second set that he probably should have won. In contrast, Federer broke the Canadian twice and used an effective serve to earn the straight-set win.
“Obviously it can come to just one play, and we might be playing a third set,” said Raonic. “But it’s obviously disappointing, very disappointing actually, the way I finished that second set off.”
Federer now sits atop the Group B standings, with Japan’s Kei Nishikori, his next opponent. Raonic will take on Andy Murray next, in what is essentially an elimination match for each player.
