Milos Raonic is heading home after only two rounds of the U.S. Open, dropping a 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-5, 6-1 decision to American Ryan Harrison on Wednesday.
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Raonic came to Flushing Meadows with high hopes, instead the Canadian star suffered a shock 6-7 (4-7) 7-5 7-5 6-1 defeat after three hours, 37 minutes on Wednesday.
Ryan Harrison, a 24-year-old American who has struggled to approach the expectations placed on him, played the match of his life on Wednesday at the US Open.
“This is a big win for me”.
Compounding Raonic’s problems were the fact that Harrison, once a highly touted junior who then had to deal with the label of “not having lived up to other people’s hype”, has had a good summer and is playing some very good tennis.
Raonic, considered as a potential title dangerman in NY, hit 18 aces and fired down 69 winners but was undone by 62 unforced errors.
It was Wozniacki’s first win over a top-10 player for the first time in almost a year.
Raonic seemed to slowly tire from that point in NY, the 25-year-old thwarted by Harrison, who saved nine of 10 break points in a 70-minute second set.
South African 23rd seed Kevin Anderson beat Canada’s Vasek Pospisil in straight sets, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-4, but a trio of seeded players departed. I’m trying to stay in the moment, go through my routines tomorrow, I guess the rest of tonight, like I would any other match.
Frenchman Gael Monfils rolled into the third-round with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jan Satral, setting up a matchup with Spain’s Nicolas Almagro who ousted 18 seed Pablo Cuvas 7-6 (5), 6-4, 7-6 (9).
Marin Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open champ, advanced to the third round.
Harrison said that with his live arm, Raonic’s serve wasn’t doing to just go away because of a leg issue. I’m sure that she will have better performances in majors in the future.
Novak Djokovic stands to benefit from Raonic’s exit given they were due to meet in the semi-finals and the Serbian enjoyed a far easier passage, after Jiri Vesely withdrew with a left forearm injury. Johanna Konta, the tournament’s 13th-seeded woman, collapsed and received medical treatment right out there on Court 13 late in the second set of her 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Tsvetana Pironkova.
The Wimbledon finalist looked in dire need of an ally.
Seventh seeded Italian Roberta Vinci, defeated by compatriot Flavia Pennetta in last year’s final, eased past Christina McHale of the United States 6-1, 6-3.
Later under the lights, the tournament’s new, $150 million retractable roof above Arthur Ashe Stadium was closed during a match for the first time, when there was rain during the second set of Rafael Nadal’s 6-0, 7-5, 6-1 victory against Andreas Seppi.
And the highlight of the match was the roof closing at 3-3 in the second set.
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“I was my own worst enemy today”, Raonic said.
