Andy Murray to face Milos Raonic in Queen's Club final
| Aegon Championships final |
|---|
| Venue: Queen’s Club, London Date: Sunday, 19 June Time: 14:00 BST |
| Coverage: Live on BBC One, BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport app. Click for more details |
Britain’s Andy Murray will have to overcome the big serving of Canadian Milos Raonic if he is to win a record fifth Queen’s Club title on Sunday.
Top seed Murray and third seed Raonic meet in the Aegon Championships final at 14:00 BST.
A win would take Murray past four-time champions Boris Becker, Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick and Roy Emerson.
The final will also be the first meeting of former rivals Ivan Lendl and John McEnroe as opposing coaches.
Murray reunited with Lendl this week after the pair split two years ago, while McEnroe – another four-time winner at Queen’s – began working with Raonic last month.
“I’ve had very good results working with Ivan in the past, and I see no reason why that can’t be the same again this time,” said Murray.
Raonic serve holds key to final
“It would mean a lot – a lot of great players have played here over the years,” Murray said of a potential fifth Queen’s Club title.
The task ahead of him is clear, as Raonic goes into the final having won all 47 service games he has played this week. He offered up only one break point in his 6-4 6-4 win over Australian Bernard Tomic in their semi-final.
It will be their ninth meeting but first on grass, with Murray 5-3 ahead and having won the last four, including a five-set semi-final at this year’s Australian Open.
“The serve is the biggest strength in his game,” said Murray. “If I get any chances, it’s important to take them when they come, because there’s not going to be too many.
“There’s no question he can play well on grass. He made the semis of Wimbledon [in 2014], so he can play well on this surface.”
Raonic, 25, is through to his 18th ATP final but first away from hard courts, and the 6ft 5in Canadian feels the grass can help both players.
“For me it’s going to be about trying to dictate and play on my terms,” he said.
“For him it’s going to be trying to take away time from me and trying to make me play as much as possible, at least on my service games, and keep me moving laterally as much as he can.”
Coach clash leaves finalists cold
Lendl and McEnroe played each other 36 times over 12 years, with Lendl winning 21 times including a semi-final victory at Queen’s towards the end of their careers in 1990.
The fierce on-court rivalry has long since dimmed and McEnroe was full of praise after reacquainting himself with Lendl this week.
“He hasn’t changed at all,” McEnroe told the Tennis Podcast. “But he did a great job with Andy before. I think he was the difference in Andy winning two majors.”
Sunday’s finalists are less enthralled by the rebirth of a great tennis rivalry, with Raonic saying, “It’s not for me to worry about,” and Murray agreeing, “I don’t find it that interesting.”
The Scot added: “I’m playing Milos, I’m not playing John. Ivan is not on my side of the court.
“I’m sure the media will make a big deal of it, but for me as a player it’s not that interesting.”
However, if the normally reserved Raonic appears more pumped up than usual on Sunday, it will be an early sign that McEnroe is having an impact.
“John’s definitely helped me with the way I have approached things and probably been a bit more positive and energetic on the court,” said Raonic.
“He’s tried to make sure that I show my presence out there.”