Breakthrough player of 2011

by **djarvik** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 02:45

Wow, do you really not see a huge difference in the way Milos handles pressure when compared to Ernest?

Mardy played exactly the way Milos dictated. He could have served a bit better then 53% first serve, but that would not have changed the outcome.

2 finals in a raw, 13/2 record. Hmmm. Reminds me of Delpo run, didn't he do OK?

He is a huge prospect if you ask me, the best youngster in last few years, but like you said, let's wait till he goes deeper then R16 in major and wins a few titles. He is 20, enough time.

by **Amazing Matheja** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:07

I was not saying he sucked!

And no, i didn't see him handle pressure, cause Fish didn't really put a lot on him... And since it's the only match i saw with Raonic, i can't compare with the way Gulbis handle pressure (By the way, sorry, that was a bad joke maybe).
Honestly, i directly said to guys around me "wow! That's a good one there!"
But i wanna wait and see more tough matchs, with big points (i mean with big pressure on the point to come), against top 4's by exemple, before i think "top gun!"...
When i asked about his runs on other tourneys, they told me he defeated Verdasco twice (final included... at San Jose?), lost to Ferrer at the AO in a tough match...
That's nice! Really!
But who knows the shape of the opponents at this times?... That's why i want to wait... The journalist said : "he'll be top 10-15 at the end of this season", i said "noway!", and the former pro tennisman who was there to comment on the match also said "naaaah... I don't think so..." - The former pro was Grosjean... ^^ (he's really cool by the way, but was almost more thinking about soccer, and a ManU/Marseille match to come ^^)

Besides note : You know Raonic asked to go to Acapulco Tourney to train on clay before his DavisCup matchs vs Mexico (if i'm right)! :shock:

That's really pro, and it shows a lot too about his serioussness and his will to improve and work! (But no breaks since beginning of the season...)

by **djarvik** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:29

I don't know man, I am sold. Top 20 - no doubt by the end of the season. I would even say above 15.

I have seen many players over the years, Gulbis-like and Nadal-like.

Milos is Nadal-like.

Gulbis is still my boy, but Milos will do more in next 3 month than Gulbis did the whole career till now.

by **Amazing Matheja** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:34

Top 15, ok! I take that bet!

(I'll be glad to lose, i liked what i saw)

by **djarvik** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:37

Deal! The winner gets to quote himself in this thread! Haha

by **Amazing Matheja** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 03:48

Deal!

by **JJ_DUBZ_87** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 08:39

lol trust me I don't want in on the bet, but I think his matches against Verdasco showed he's the real deal. At least for me. There were lots of big moments in those matches.

by **Mike Rotchtickles** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:48

Barring any serious injuries, the bet should rather be if he can stay in the top 20 next season as well.
I can't see how this kid won't make Top 20- Top 15 come end of this season. He has hardly any substantial points to defend at all now. And importantly he has the tools to climb that high, imo.
He'll already climb within the Top 30 if he beats Roddick in the Memphis final.
So he's well on his way.

by **Amazing Matheja** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 15:49

Ok... Before i go to work, I throw myself in the water (like we say in France), and here my guess :
My Top 15 at the end of season... (in no special order

:
Nadal
Federer
Djokovic
Soderling
Cilic
Roddick
Tsonga
Berdych
Nalbandian
Ferrer
Verdasco
Wavrinka
Troicki
Isner
Murray

And i think some others could be before Raonic :
Melzer, Youzhny, Monfils, Almagro, Ferrero, Simon, Gasquet (!!),...
(Hey! This is a big guess! So don't fall on me like firerain from the sky

)

by **Moralspain** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:28

yep i think Troicki can be up there too

by **djarvik** » Sun, 20 Feb 2011 17:43

I can take out around 5 players of your list, I don't think they will finish inside the top 20:

Troicki
Isner
Nalbandian
Cilic
Tsonga - will get inured, he is due.

by **NARCOSIS2009** » Mon, 21 Feb 2011 07:56

djarvik wrote:I don't know man, I am sold. Top 20 - no doubt by the end of the season. I would even say above 15.

I have seen many players over the years, Gulbis-like and Nadal-like.

Milos is Nadal-like.

Gulbis is still my boy, but Milos will do more in next 3 month than Gulbis did the whole career till now.

You forget 1 thing!, the clay court season starts in april, well the deep stretch of claycourt tournaments do, which will effectively nullify his serve, its not a good thing for the kid XD, im pretty sure he will lose some confidence... plus your boys quite good on clay djarv

by **djarvik** » Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:14

You can't nullify a constant 140mph serve. Will he get 30 aced each match? No, but he will get 15 and enough service winners to hold and get to the break.

BTW, he has s monster forehand when given enough time, guess what clay is going to do? :wink:

by **emate007** » Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:22

Raonic for president!

by **djarvik** » Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:20

It's hard not to get excited man. Sorry. :oops:

On another note, Gulbis snapped a 3 match losing streak today and shaved his half-ass beard and took a haircut.

Breakthrough player of 2011

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