Expect Big Things From Raonic in 2012

There are a lot of young studs in professional tennis that can really make their mark on the sport in the 2012 season, no one more than Milos Raonic of Canada. Last year, was the first full season for Raonic in pro tennis and he came out really successful by getting his year-end ranking to number 31 in the world.

            Raonic has extreme potential to be one of the best players in the world within the next few years. Most experts have him winning a Grand Slam event (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, or U.S. Open) sooner rather than later. Raonic’s serve has been compared to the likes of big guys like John Isner and Ivo Karlovic, and getting those free points via aces will help him sustain energy in long, grueling matches.

            Milos Raonic’s game is similar to Andy Roddick when his career started. The huge serve and bullet forehands are exactly how Roddick won the 2003 U.S. Open at age 21, the same age Raonic is now. The two weaknesses that could hold Raonic back for now is his backhand to be inconsistent at inopportune times and his movement around the court, being a big guy he’s not a natural defender.

            The best chance Raonic has at winning a Grand Slam in 2012 will be at the Australian Open. He had a lot of success in first appearance there last year with a 2^nd round straight-set win over Michael Llodra, a 3^rd round win over Mikhail Youzhny, who was ranked 10^th at the time, and a loss in the round of 16 to the fifth ranked player in the world, David Ferrer in four sets. He can do really well in Australia because it’s the first major of the year, some talented players can come out flat this early in the year and it is extremely tough to mount a big comeback in the summer heat in Melbourne. Raonic won his warm-up tournament in preparation for Australian at the Chennai tournament in India. In the finals he beat the ninth ranked player in the world, Janko Tipsarevic, who said that it is only a matter of time before Raonic is among the elite players in the world.

            Let’s see what Raonic is capable in 2012, I think all the tennis experts, and Tipsarevic, could be right.