My Masters 1000: Milos Raonic

Milos Raonic has won eight tour-level titles. He’s reached No. 3 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, and he’s played in a Wimbledon final. But Raonic has yet to win a home ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title, an achievement that would satisfy him more than almost anything else on the ATP World Tour.

Raonic, the sixth seed this week at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal, talked about that elusive title and his biggest win at a Masters 1000 so far. 

Which ATP World Tour Masters 1000 host city is your favourite and why?
A standout is Toronto because that’s where I grew up but also, I like the fact that the Masters 1000 tournament in Canada continually changes year in and year out because I also spent three important years of my career living in Montreal… [Going back] is very enjoyable but I also just really badly want to succeed there. It’s one of my big goals.

What is your favourite memory at a Masters 1000?
I think the first time I really broke through. I had a wild card in the Masters in Canada, in the quallies [2009]. I qualified and I was the first Canadian in many years to do that. Just the reception I got gave me a really good taste of where I wanted my career to go, and I think that left me with a lot of motivation as well. [Raonic fell to 11^th seed Fernando Gonzalez 6-4 in the third set in his first-round match.]

What do you consider to be your best Masters 1000 win?
In 2014, beating Roger in the quarter-finals [Rolex Paris Masters]. I don’t think I had beaten him before, but it was also a match I needed to win to have a chance to qualify for the [Nitto ATP Finals].

What is your dream match at a Masters 1000?
A final in Canada, regardless of who it is, just the opportunity to win it, like I had in 2013 (l. to Nadal 6-2, 6-2).

Which Masters 1000 tournament has the rowdiest fans?

Miami night match can get quite rowdy. Paris indoors, because they like to support the underdogs, can get quite rowdy as well.