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It had been 5 years since Milos Raonic stepped foot on courtroom in Indian Wells when the Canadian contested his opening-round match on the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday evening.
However it was like he by no means left.
The 2016 runner-up defeated fortunate loser Sumit Nagal in straight units to advance to spherical two of the primary Masters 1000 occasion of the 12 months. Raonic didn’t drop serve within the 6-3, 6-3 win that was delayed after the primary set as a result of rain.
Initially, Raonic was imagined to play three-time Indian Wells champion Rafael Nadal within the first spherical, however the Spaniard was compelled to withdraw.
Going through Nagal as an alternative, the Canadian hit 9 aces, received 76 per cent of his first serve factors, and saved the one two break factors he confronted. Raonic additionally blew his opponent away on the bottom, hitting 23 winners to his opponent’s two.
Learn additionally: ATP Energy Rankings Forward of Indian Wells
The primary recreation was tense, with Raonic needing to battle by a number of deuces and even staring down a break level, which he saved with a giant serve. However the Canadian held on after which went to work on return.
In Nagal’s first service recreation, Raonic took a 15-40 lead however couldn’t convert. Two video games later, he had the identical alternative and this time used some spectacular defence to coax an error out of the Indian to maneuver forward 3-1. Whereas he missed a few probabilities to make it a double-break later within the set, Raonic by no means gave Nagal an opportunity to get again within the set.
Learn additionally: 5 Canadians Competing in Indian Wells
Rain despatched the gamers again to the locker room after the Canadian claimed the opening set and stored them there for over two and a half hours. Play resumed after 12:30 am.
As soon as once more, Raonic saved a break level in his first service recreation of the set after which rapidly turned the tables. This time, he broke within the very subsequent recreation, once more drawing a forehand error from Nagal.
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The second set adopted a really comparable script as the primary. As soon as Raonic was forward, he by no means gave his opponent a break level to get again within the set. This time, regardless of lacking 5 break level probabilities within the fifth recreation, he did handle to attain a second break as Nagal served to remain within the match, drawing one more forehand error on match level.
Raonic has reached the quarter-finals or higher in his final 5 visits to Tennis Paradise and the semifinals or higher in his final 4, though his final look was in 2019.
Subsequent up for the Canadian might be a primary assembly with younger star Holger Rune, the seventh seed.
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