Tennis

Milos Raonic advances to quarter-finals of Monte Carlo Masters

​Canada's Milos Raonic will rekindle his rivalry with British tennis star Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Raonic fires 12 aces in win over 99th-ranked Dzumur

Milos Raonic advances to Monte Carlo Masters quarter-finals

9 years ago
Duration 0:41
Raonic to face number 2 seed Andy Murray, after defeating Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5)

Canada's Milos Raonic will rekindle his rivalry with British tennis star Andy Murray in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Raonic, the 10th seed, continued to make the most of his dangerous serve Thursday, firing 12 aces in a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5) third-round victory over 99th-ranked Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

While Raonic has not looked dominant so far in Monaco, he has reached the double digits in aces in all three matches of his despite playing on a clay surface that can deaden his powerful serve.

Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., had to work for his second win over Dzumhur this season. He faced break point seven times, saving five, and broke the Bosnian on two of five chances.

Murray, ranked No. 2 in the world, had an even closer third-round match as he rallied from a set and 3-0 down to beat Benoit Paire.

"Raonic has come through a couple of tough ones as well," Murray said. "Maybe this week he hasn't played his best either."

Murray will enter Friday's quarter-final with a 4-3 head-to-head record against Raonic. The Scotsman has won his last three matches with Raonic, including a four-set victory in the semifinals of the Australian Open earlier this year.

Men's singles results

  • Andy Murray (2), Britain, def. Benoit Paire (16), France, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
  • Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, def. Roberto Bautista Agut (14), Spain, 6-2, 6-4.
  • Stan Wawrinka (4), Switzerland, def. Gilles Simon (15), France, 6-1, 6-2.
  • Rafael Nadal (5), Spain, def. Dominic Thiem (12), Austria, 7-5, 6-3.
  • Milos Raonic (10), Canada, def. Damir Dzumhur, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5).
  • Gael Monfils (13), France, def. Jiri Vesely, Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-2.

With files from the Associated Press