A Northern Light

 Before the Australian Open 2011, I was like most fans of Tennis in Canada, watching and cheering my favorites and hoping to catch a good match to make my efforts of late night viewing and early morning sabotage worth it.

It was progressing well, as the Aussie always does, when after round two I noticed something. Something unique, something special something that I wasn’t quite sure was real… I saw the letters “CAN” written beside a player who was on to the third round! But how? More importantly, WHO? I needed clarification. Where did this guy come from? Who did he beat to get to where he is, in the third round of a major, and even just as poignant, how do you pronounce his name?

Why it was Milos Raonic of course. Though I did see him the year previous at the Rogers Cup where he played doubles in a memorable match taking out the super team of Djokovic and Nadal, I had no idea that he was prime to make such a splash in a slam.

Could it be? Could we, the cold craving and blubber dining, race from the great north have finally produced a player that could not only win a few matches but, at last, take over the world?

I think so! Why not? Finally a kid emerges from one of our igloos and knows how to swing a racquet!

K, maybe I am exaggerating. That being said, we have a Canadian player to, as a nation, get excited about. Or was I getting too far ahead of my self? Maybe he was a spark on frying pan or worse yet, maybe he was a fan of  the evil Greg Rusedski!  GRRRR !

Its not like we have had nothing to cheer here in Canada. With great respects paid to Daniel Nestor, grand slam champion and gold medal winner, I will cover him and all his magnificent triumphs in a future blog. But doubles fails to capture the imagination of a lukewarm tennis market like here in Canada. Raonic was the first player in this modern era of social media and relentless sports coverage to give Canada a real bona fide hero to cheer for and without doing so in vain.  

Raonic scored his first win over a top 10 player, in Australia, when he took out Youzhny. The dream run ended against one of the worlds best in David Ferrer but the fuse was lit. Now the secrete was out. Was there more to come from the lanky boy? Short answer “uh-huh”

In the San Jose final, Raonic defeated the fiery Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in two tough breakers. The very next tournament the two had the misfortune to meet once again this time in the round of 32. This one went three sets but once again it was Milos who prevailed. It even left the usually sulky and disgruntled Verdasco to criticize the young Canadian’s game boasting it was no more than a serve. Maybe it was a tad more watered down than that but his comments were heard nonetheless and if Verdasco knew anything about winning big matches in tennis he would realize and acknowledge the all round game that has just beaten him twice. 

So now, the native of Podgorica Montenegro held his first ATP title and it appeared that the future was now. Along with his coach Galo Blanco, it was all about maturing the game and making sure he was ready physically and mentally for the big boys on a consistent basis. But no sooner did it look so promising did it all crash down. While honing his craft on his least desired surface, clay, he would begin battling injuries finally a hip injury sidelined the star. He then had surgery and the rest of the 2011 season was a bit of a wash. What looked so promising ended up becoming not only disappointing for Milos and his fans but rather frustrating as well.

Milos Raonic wasn’t born in Canada but grew up in Thornhill Ontario. His family is well educated and although Milos took the sports route, to hear him conduct himself in interviews makes you realize that he is not only a class act to watch on court but this well spoken Canadian is very astute and has ambassador written all over him.

When I first put an image with the name that was running through the Aussie Open draw I was shocked and I’ll be honest, Disappointed.  His look made me think that he was just fluking off a great tournament. I know it’s judging a book by its cover but I’m just being honest is all. Once I heard him in a post match interview I was impressed. I remember thinking; this guy gets it. He understands the game and with his poise, I believe, I really do.

In November Milos got the honor of a lifetime, to play his childhood hero Pete Sampras in the very first tennis match in the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. Raonic won the match but more than that, he brought the fun and the magic back to Canada for the first time since the McEnroe / Borg days in the 80’s at Maple Leaf Gardens.

So as 2012 is upon us what shall we expect from this fine athlete? Well I would say a push towards the top 10 should be in the cards. I’m not alone. Milos has been given high praise from royalty in the tennis world, McEnroe, Navratilova, Brad Gilbert, to name a few all see the Canadian as the next great something. After a successful defense of his San Jose title he already boasts two titles this season.

So good for Milos Raonic as he embarks, hopefully, on a wonderful career but what I am most excited about is the thought that this well spoken and talented player will no doubt inspire thousands of young kids to grab a racquet and swing away! This is what we need! Tennis Canada is a great organization that promotes the game in Canada but the only true way to achieve maximum results is to show kids, heck parents and fans, that it is possible to succeed here. That Canada is not some super massive black hole that suppresses stars of the game. The population is big enough, the long winters? C’mon people!!! Does Switzerland not have winter? Sweden is in darkness half the time yet Federer and Borg seemed to make an “OK” living. We need inspiration, validation, and a face, Milos Raonic is everything a young player should try and emulate. I am tired of Tennis being preempted for bowling and darts in this country. This is the greatest sport in the world and with a future slam winner, oh yes, I went there, it’s about time the rest of the country finds out!

Jason Pelligra