Sam Querrey vs Milos Raonic: Cincinnati Open Preview and Prediction

It is a battle between two big-servers as Sam Querrey locks horns against Milos Raonic in the Cincinnati Open tonight. 

Amidst the lockdown, Querrey kept in touch with the sport turning out for the Vegas Rollers in the World TeamTennis event. 

The World number 45 lost in the third round of the Australian Open 2020 and has not played competitive tennis since that match. Having played in Cincinnati for more than a decade, the American has never made past the second round here. 

On the other hand, Raonic was having a sublime year having reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and semifinals at the Delray Beach Open before the coronavirus pandemic put a full stop to tennis. 

The World number 30 did not play any exhibition tournaments which would make him fresh to go for a deep run in Cincinnati. 

Strengths of Querrey

Querrey looks unbeatable when his first-serve is on target. Having defeated legends like Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray in his career, the 32-year-old knows how to outwit big opponents. 

While he relies on his mercurial forehand to fetch majority of his points, his movement leaves a lot to be desired. Controlled aggression would help Querrey against Raonic. 

Strengths of Raonic

The Canadian's attacking game is second to none. In recent times, Raonic has started coming frequently to the net to finish off points. His forehands are flat and deep and can catch opponents of the wrong foot. 

Raonic has to work on his backhand as it lacks power. When he is fully fit, he can give any player a run for his money. 

Head to Head record 

Raonic leads the head to head record 4-2 against Querrey. Querrey last defeated Raonic way back in 2012. This is Querrey's best chance to beat Raonic given his familiarity with the home conditions. While Raonic would be aiming to continue his reign against Querrey.

The fans can expect a flurry of aces from both the players. 

Prediction - Milos Raonic to win in three sets

Featured image credits: thestatszone.com