By Canadian Press

Canada’s Raonic tops Broady to advance to second round at Wimbledon

Jul 2, 2018 | 10:15 AM

LONDON — Canada’s Milos Raonic is through to the second round at Wimbledon.

The Thornhill, Ont., product cruised to a 7-5, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Britain’s Liam Broady in first-round play at the All England Club Monday.

Raonic, seeded 13th at the Grand Slam tournament despite his No. 32 ATP ranking, used his powerful serve to dispatch his opponent, firing 18 aces to Broady’s four. 

He converted on 6-of-11 break points while winning all his service games.

“I did a lot of things well,” said Raonic.

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“Once I sort of — obviously, I expected to be tight the first set … I needed a moment just to free up once I got that break. He got a little bit tight on that 5-5 game or 5-6, and after, that I freed up and I thought I played really well.”

Raonic’s Wimbledon future was called into question when he pulled out of the Queen’s Club grass-court tennis tournament with a right pectoral strain two weeks ago.

He also missed the last Grand Slam when he sat out the French Open with an undisclosed injury.

Once No. 3 in the world, Raonic has seen his ranking plummet over the last couple of years because of a litany of injuries.

However, the 27-year-old said he feels optimistic about his health going forward.

“I feel my body’s allowing me to play and hopefully that continues for a very long time,” said Raonic.

Peter Polansky, also of Thornhill, lost his first-round match 6-2, 6-3, 7-6 (7) to Austria’s Dennis Novak earlier Monday.

Canada’s top ranked player, Richmond Hill, Ont., teen Denis Shapovalov at No. 26, opens his Wimbledon tournament Tuesday against France’s Jeremy Chardy. Unseeded Vasek Pospisil of Vancouver takes on Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan also Tuesday while Eugenie Bouchard of Westmount, Que., plays British wild card Gabriella Taylor in her main-draw opener.

The Canadian Press