BSP-04 Raonic ends Kecmanovic run, reaches Indian Wells semi-finals

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Raonic ends Kecmanovic run, reaches Indian Wells semi-finals

INDIAN WELLS, United States, March 15, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Canadian Milos
Raonic made sure Miomir Kecmanovic’s luck ran out on Thursday, beating the
19-year-old Serbian 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Indian Wells
Masters.

Raonic, ranked 14th in the world, fired 13 aces and broke Kecmanovic once
in each set to keep his bid to better his 2016 runner-up finish on track.

He’ll face either eighth-ranked Austrian Dominic Thiem or France’s world
number 19 Gael Monfils for a place in the final.

Kecmanovic, who failed to make it through qualifying but gained entry to
the main draw when fifth-seeded Kevin Anderson withdrew, was the first lucky
loser to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells since the tournament served
as the inaugural ATP Masters 1000 in 1990.

Although Raonic had beaten him in their only prior encounter in Brisbane
this year, he knew Kecmanovic would be eager to keep his surprise run going.

“He’s won his last three matches against good players,” Raonic said. “So I
knew he had nothing to lose, and I had to be really disciplined with myself,
and I’m happy I was able to follow through.”

Raonic’s serve wasn’t at it’s booming best. He put only 55 percent of his
first serves in play. But when he did, he won nearly 90 percent of the
points, and his serve was good enough when he needed it most.

“I think that can get better,” Raonic said. “But there’s other things I’m
doing well, for sure. As soon as I had a chance on the first forehand, I was
able to find my way to be the one dictating the point. And I put a lot of
returns in and gave myself a chance there.”

While the 130th-ranked Kecmanovic fell short in his bid to become just the
third lucky loser to reach the semi-finals of a Masters 1000 event, he can
regroup for the upcoming Miami Masters — where he has been given a wild card
into the main draw.

BSS/AFP/GMR/0943 hrs