“It’s not something I get to do too often, so it’s a very special feeling”, he said.
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Tennis is different; were so used to the same three or four or in the case of the 2015 season, one player dominating their competition that when the likes of Novak Djokovic or Rodger Federer loose, most wonder if it is a dream that they have to wake up out of.
Monfils beat Belgium’s David Goffin 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-4, earlier in the day to advance.
Chardy started to favor his foot after Pospisil went up 30-0 in the first game of the second set.
Second-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany beat Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina 1-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Even as big names dropped out organizers said ticket sales outpaced last year, with many customers mobilized by Raonic’s run to this year’s Wimbledon final.
Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka and Japan’s Kei Nishikori will meet in tomorrow’s other semi-final after both coming through their last-eight ties.
“I didn’t do it in the second set, and beginning of the third set I didn’t do it”, said Nishikori. “I think this was the most players we had in the second round in a long time”.
Monfils has always been regarded as uber-athletic and entertaining, but seemingly indifferent and often erratic.
Novak Djokovic conceded he needed some luck to earn a place in the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup, following a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Tomas Berdych.
“I don t know how I got out of that tiebreak”, Djokovic said.
The Serbian world No.1, a three-times victor of the Canadian Masters event, will next play Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek, a 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victor over Canadian wildcard Peter Polansky. A gorgeous forehand return from Djokovic froze Berdych on the next point, forcing him to net a forehand for 6-5, and a second-serve return error allowed Djokovic to draw level at 6-all. Friday night a near-full centre court watched Djokovic defeat Berdych, and standing-room-only crowd witnessed Raonic take on Monfils. But Monfils won the next game and it seemed as though the two would trade games based on who had serve. Raonic had plenty of time on the return, but smashed it into the net. “I have to focus on my service game to stay with him and to maybe give him a little bit of pressure and waiting for him maybe a little bit getting nervous from the tensions and give me a chance”.
MONTREAL (AP) – Sixth-seeded Venus Williams tumbled out of the Rogers Cup in the third round, falling 6-1, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 to 10th-seeded Madison Keys in an all-American match.
Dimitrov stuns the world no. 27 Karlovic in straight sets 6-3, 7-5 to go ahead to the quarterfinals.
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Raonic has transitioned well from grass to hard courts as the fourth-seeded Canadian received a bye in the first round, and in his first match back, he played against Yen-Hsun Lu and defeated the player from Chinese Taipei, 6-3, 6-3.
