The Wimbledon seventh seed defeated veteran German Tommy Haas 6-0, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4) on Court 1 in two hours and 34 minutes. Last year's semifinalist raced through the first two sets against the former world number two. Haas began challenging Raonic in the third set and both players stayed on serve, with Haas winning it in a tiebreak. The fourth set also went to a tiebreak, but it was the Canadian who prevailed, winning the set and the match.
This is Raonic's second victory over Haas. In 2013, he beat the German 6-4, 6-3 in the final of the San Jose Open to win the title for the third straight year. In the early goings of the match, it looked as though the Canadian would triumph even more easily than he did in that tournament, racing through the first set in 18 minutes. He broke Haas three times, including in the opening game of the match. His opponent did not win a point on serve until the fifth game of the set. Raonic finished with four aces and an average service speed of 131 miles per hour. Many were surprised with the bagel from a player not known to break often.
Holy Toledo Missile Raonic about to win his 5th career 6-0 set Tommy Boy Haas off to a very slow start
— Brad Gilbert (@bgtennisnation) July 1, 2015
The second set began better for the 37-year-old Haas, who became the oldest man to win a match at Wimbledon since Jimmy Connors in 1991 on Monday. He won his first service game of the match in the set's opening game and looking competitive on 24-year-old Milos Raonic's following service game. However, it went downhill for the veteran in the third game of the set when the younger player broke for a three games to one lead. Haas came close to breaking back when Raonic double faulted with the advantage and sent the game back to deuce, but the world number eight followed it up with a second serve ace and won the game on the next point. The ace was one of seven he would produce in taking the second set six games to two.
In the third set Tommy Haas began playing truly competitively, with neither player able to break serve. In this set, Haas produced his first three aces of the match, along with 12 of the 22 winners he would finish with. Up six games to five, the German had multiple set points, but the Canadian was able to send it to a tiebreak with this overhead shot:
WATCH. The perfect serve? #herestoperfection #Wimbledon https://t.co/Nz5T6iP2JW
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2015
Haas took the tiebreaker seven to five when Raonic sent a return long.
The final set of the match again saw both players stay on serve and force a tiebreak. Raonic had several chances to end the match sooner with triple match point on the Haas serve up six games to five, but the resilient German managed to hold on. That would be the end of his comeback however, with the big Canadian taking it seven to four.
The man known as the Maple Leaf Missile had another dominant day of serving, with 29 total aces. According to officials at the All England Club, his 145 mile per hour serve in set two was the third fastest in tournament history. His opponent certainly thought he served well, saying, "That serve is special, that's for sure. It's been a while since I faced a serve like that." He also told reporters that he would love to be able to serve like Raonic for just one match, to know how it feels. Nick Kyrgios, who Raonic will face in the third round, acknowledged the challenge he would be facing, stating that though he was confident, anyone serving like Raonic was would be difficult to beat.
The seventh seed, whose net play during the match was quite good with him winning 22/36 points, will be pleased to get the win on his country's national holiday. Before his match on July 1st, he posted a picture of himself wrapped in the Canadian Flag to celebrate.