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Former Queen's finalist Milos Raonic will not compete this week at the grass-court ATP 500 event. Milos withdrew ahead of the first-round clash against Jordan Thompson, with Alexei Popyrin stepping in as a lucky loser. Raonic competed at Queen's for five straight years between 2015 and 2019, losing the 2016 final to Andy Murray.
Milos stayed away from tennis since July 2021, slowing down that season and taking a break from the sport. The Canadian returned last week in s-Hertogenbosch, beating Miomir Kecmanovic and scoring his first triumph since Miami 2021!
However, he decided to skip this week, and we should see him in action at Wimbledon. Milos beat Miomir 6-3, 6-4 in an hour and 24 minutes, making a slow start after a long break before finding his rhythm. He hit four double faults in the encounter's first game and got broken in the third.
However, Milos served well after that, firing 15 aces and defending four out of five break chances.
Milos Raonic will not compete at Queen's this week.
Kecmanovic could not follow that level, dropping 42% of the points in his games and losing serve three times from ten opportunities given to his rival.
Raonic grabbed two breaks in the opener and another at the start of the second. He barely lost a point behind the initial shot and sealed the deal in style. Milos landed four double faults in the encounter's first game and faced three break points.
He saved them and avoided an early setback. Miomir squandered game points in game two and lost serve after Milos' forehand crosscourt winner. The Canadian netted a slice in the third game to get broken and bring the rival back to the positive side.
They held at love in games four and five before Kecmanovic experienced issues at 2-3. The Serb denied two break points and closed the game to stay in touch. Raonic clinched the seventh game at 15 with a forehand winner and painted a forehand crosscourt winner in the next one to grab a break and forge a 5-3 advantage.
Milos closed the opener with a forehand winner in game nine for 6-3 after 47 minutes. Kecmanovic wasted game points at the start of the second set and lost serve following Raonic's forehand down the line winner. The Canadian confirmed the break with a service winner in game two and moved 3-1 in front with an ace in game four.
Raonic opened a 5-3 gap with an ace, and Kecmanovic held in the next one to prolong the battle. Milos served for the victory at 5-4 and landed a forehand down the line winner for three match points. He seized the first with an ace down the T line to secure his first ATP victory in over two years.
The Canadian lost to Jordan Thompson in the second round, reaching a tie break in the first set and fading from the court in the second.