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Consider Milos Raonic’s best quality as a player, and that booming serve will always spring straight to mind.
Increasingly, though, it’s the Canadian’s calmness under pressure that’s proving a critical quality - and he showed it again as he defeated Jack Sock 7-6(2), 6-4, 7-6(1) to move into Wimbledon’s fourth round.
With the win over Sock, Raonic set up a fourth round meeting with No.11 seed David Goffin, a 6-4,6-3, 2-6, 6-1 winner over Denis Istomin. Raonic is the only man among his quarter to advance so far without the loss of a set; perhaps more encouraging still is that defending champion Novak Djokovic no longer features among that group.
“It was obviously a surprise,” said Raonic of Djokovic’s loss. “You know where you stand with that, so you push a little harder.”
Also acknowledging that “nothing really changed” for him after the world No.1’s exit, Raonic instead pointed to his own performance. “I'm happy with the way I was able to get it done in three sets and move on and give myself another challenge looking forward,” he said.
As the No.27 seed, Sock was his most challenging opponent and it showed in a 42-minute first set that progressed to a tie-break without a single break point. Raonic asserted his authority with a pair of aces and four groundstroke winners, further damaging Sock’s momentum as he broke in the seventh game of the second set, and calmly proceeded to secure it.
I'm happy with the way I was able to get it done in three sets
The American entered the match with just one win over Raonic in their eight career meetings, but fought hard against the Canadian, saving seven break points in the third set and also holding one of his own. But when it went to a tie-break, Raonic soon surged ahead, helped by a pair of double faults from Sock.
“I think I'm a bit more efficient on serving than he is,” said Raonic, who finished with 11 aces and an impressive 24 winners.
“He has a heavy forehand. But I think the thing that's really made the difference is a little more efficiency on the serve. A lot of tie-break sets we've played, I think I have a considerably better record when it comes to tie-breaks. I think that's been a positive for me.”
Earlier, Steve Johnson was similarly calm as he staved off Grigor Dimitrov to move into the fourth round for the first time. Showing the prowess on grass that recently delivered his first career title in Nottingham, the American delivered 11 aces and 59 winners against the 2014 semi-finalist to claim a 6-7(6), 7-6(3) win.
Goffin also needed four sets to advance and the Belgian admitted he suffered a concentration lapse in his 2hr 13min win against Istomin. Still, with a second final-16 showing at The Championships in as many years, he’ll be a dangerous opponent against Raonic – particularly given Goffin withstood 10 aces and 30 winners against the world No.116.
Other third round men’s matches remain undecided after another weather-interrupted day at the All England Club: Nick Kyrgios and Feliciano Lopez are a set apiece, while Lucas Pouille leads Juan Martin del Potro two sets to one, as does John Isner against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Richard Gasquet also led Albert Ramos-Vinolas when play was suspended due to fading light.
