Raonic Sets Goffin Semi-Final Showdown

Milos Raonic is through to his second straight BNP Paribas Open semi-final after a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Frenchman Gael Monfils on Thursday night. The No. 12 seed claimed his second match from as many meetings with the No. 13 seed this year, having also claimed the honours in their Australian Open quarter-final in January.

Neither player had lost a set en route to the quarter-finals and the big-serving Canadian ensured his run of straight-sets victories would continue until at least the semi-finals. He sent down seven aces and dropped just nine points on his first serve.

Raonic had his share of break point opportunities but only converted on three of the 13. It proved enough to advance in one hour and 30 minutes. The result denied Monfils the chance to become the first Frenchman to reach the semi-finals in Indian Wells since Guy Forget lost the 1991 final.

Raonic said a game plan against the unpredictable Frenchman required a certain amount of flexibility.

“I think you just sort of change your mentality a bit, but I don’t think the game plan for me changes,” Raonic said. “Maybe the side you approach to or what kind of stuff you expect, that’s about it.”

With the win, Raonic levelled the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series at 2-2. He will take on No. 15 seed David Goffin for a place in the Indian Wells final. The Belgian leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head series 1-0.

“He’s playing well,” Raonic said of Goffin. “He’s taking the ball early. He’s trying to maybe not overpower but take away time from his opponents.

“You see that he’s trying to take time away and maybe getting guys to panic and not set up their swings. But I think when it comes to that kind of stuff I’m pretty good at getting things on my terms. If he wants to stay on the baseline I’m going to have to try to push him back.”

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