Barring a run-in with a net post or a wayward racket, a tennis court is among the last sporting arena a mouth guard is considered a prerequisite for going into battle – unless you’re Milos Raonic.
Having done away with the orthotics in his size 14D shoes, the No.7 seed insists the unorthodox approach to dealing with back pain is doing the trick.
And given his 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-4 opening-round result over Spaniard Pablo Carreno-Busta on Monday, few would argue otherwise.
After handing three-time Wimbledon champion John McEnroe a winning start to his foray into coaching on the Grand Slam stage, the 6ft 5in Canadian explained the move to mouth guards in 2016.
“Obviously struggled with my back last year for about six months and cut my season short,” Raonic said. “So I ventured to see what I can do to help me prevent dealing with that pain.
“I got rid of orthotics and went to a mouth guard as a way to sort of align my spine.
“I think the whole point is so you don't grind your teeth. So I think it's meant to give you like a certain amount of spacing, which doesn't force muscles to tense up and so forth.”
And there is an added bonus to the look, more akin to that of an NBA or NHL player.
“Now it's nice, if somebody steals your shoes, you don't have to worry about a pair of orthotics,” he said.
Understandable when size 14D orthotics aren’t exactly in ready supply.
Fortunately, his worst fears were never realised.
“No, but it's the thing you worry about the most. Where are you going to find those?” he said. “I'm pretty protective of my mouth guard, though, but at least it stays in my mouth all day, other than when I eat. I have had to go through garbage cans a few times.”
Fortunately for McEnroe, searching through garbage cans for mouth guards was not part of the job description when he joined the Raonic ranks at Queen’s.
The American, perched alongside co-coach and fellow former No.1 Carlos Moya for the first-round clash, had reason to be satisfied with his charge’s fifth grass-court win from the six matches he has played since he came on board.
Where McEnroe’s brash outbursts became a signature of his on-court demeanour through his playing days, Raonic said it was not reflected in his coaching style.
“John is one of the more positive people, especially a contrast to the way he might have been on court,” Raonic said. “That was the thing probably that's taken me aback the most. He's very persistent in enforcing the positive things you do well.
“I think he shows that, he showed that a lot last week [at Queen’s] and obviously was great for him to ... come out there and watch and to support.”
As it was, the only glitch in Raonic’s first Wimbledon outing for 2016 came when closing it out.
After missing two match points on the Spaniard’s serve, he then needed five on his own serve to get the job done, sealing it with a return error in just under two hours.
Andreas Seppi is next. McEnroe and Moya will play their part in the tactics. Just leave the mouth guards to Milos.
