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Milos Raonic: Grand Slam title search is alive and well

By Harry Floyd

TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 03: Milos Raonic plays a backhand against Viktor Troicki of Serbia during day two of the Rakuten Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 3, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - OCTOBER 03: Milos Raonic plays a backhand against Viktor Troicki of Serbia during day two of the Rakuten Open at Ariake Coliseum on October 3, 2017 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images) /
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Milos Raonic is looking ahead to the 2018 tour. The Canadian tennis star had an up and down year in 2017, but hopes to kick off the new year strong.

Milos Raonic saw himself slip to No. 24 in the men’s singles rankings this past year.

The Canadian is a former world No. 3 on tour and holds eight ATP singles titles to his name. Posting a 29-12 singles match record on the 2017 ATP World Tour, his strong year was somewhat interrupted by small nagging injuries. He was even outspoken when it came to addressing overall tournament scheduling for players on the ATP World Tour.

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While Raonic did not suffer injuries the likes of Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, or Novak Djokovic, his rhythm was not quite right in 2017. Slipping in the rankings, he now enters the 2018 ATP World Tour with a new mindset and the continued goal of hoisting a Grand Slam trophy.

Milos Raonic reached the semifinals at the 2016 Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam of the calendar year is the Australian Open. Raonic, having seen success there in recent years, will look to make his mark on the year starting at Melbourne Park. His competition will without a doubt be defending champion Roger Federer.

The Swiss great is coming off of a stellar year on the ATP World Tour. He and Rafael Nadal have largely dominated the sport for the last year, swapping Grand Slam titles. Both finish the year in the world No. 1 and 2 positions. Players such as Raonic will need to strategize their upcoming tour schedules and gain solid traction in the early tournaments of 2018 if they hope to chip away at the strongholds created by Nadal and Federer.

Next: Top 10: Men's Singles Tennis

Milos Raonic turns 27-years-old at the end of December. He falls right in the gap between the veteran greats such as Federer and Nadal and the young up and comers such as Alexander Zverev. His strong mix of major tournament experience and youthful talent make him an interesting player to watch on the 2018 ATP World Tour. Look for him to shoot for his first ever Grand Slam singles title in the coming year. No stranger to the big stage, Raonic has gone as far as the finals at Wimbledon. His past success at Melbourne Park also gives him the chance to begin his year on the right note. Stay tuned to see if Raonic and others can challenge the likes of Federer and Nadal on the 2018 ATP World Tour.

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