ATP: Milos Raonic returns on grass
Former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic's return to the ATP tour is imminent. After a long injury break, the Canadian is planning his comeback at the ATP 250 grass tournament in 's-Hertogenbosch on his favorite surface.
by Dietmar Kaspar
last edit: May 18, 2023, 07:34 am
It had been quiet around Milos Raonic for a long time. The Canadian serving giant played his last match on the tour in July 2021 and has since been struggling with a protracted Achilles tendon injury in his right leg. At that time, the 22nd in the ATP ranking lost to the American youngster Brandon Nakashima in three sets in the second round of the 250 tournament in Atlanta.
Greatest career success on grass
So it was all the greater the surprise that the 32-year-old appeared on the entry list for the Dutch tournament at the start of the grass season with his Protected Ranking 33. The selection of the surface should not be entirely coincidental, as the former world number three achieved his greatest success when he reached the Wimbledon final in 2016, in which he was beaten by local hero Andy Murray. The Montenegrin native was able to win all of his eight titles on the ATP tour on hard court.
Also Nishikori before comeback
Raonic would thus be the second former Top 5 player to return to the tour shortly after a nearly two-year break from the tournament. Earlier on, former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori took to social media to announce his comeback later in the month . However, the 33-year-old Japanese is planning to start one level down with starts at the US Challenger tournaments in Little Rock and Tyler.