By Canadian Press

Canadian Milos Raonic falls to Novak Djokovic in Australian Open quarterfinals

Jan 28, 2020 | 7:15 AM

MELBOURNE, Australia — Canada’s Milos Raonic just can’t solve Novak Djokovic.

The No. 32 seed from Thornhill, Ont., fell to 0-10 against the second-seeded Djokovic with a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (1) loss in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Djokovic, despite having issues with his contact lenses in the third set, is now two wins away from defending his Australian Open crown.

The Serbian next plays six-time Australian Open winner Roger Federer, who saved seven match points before fending off 100th-ranked Tennys Sandgren in five sets. Djokovic has never lost a semifinal or final he has contested at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic has won the season’s first Grand Slam seven times.

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Raonic, 29, hadn’t lost a set in four previous matches at the tournament before running into Djokovic.

The Canadian had 18 aces, while Djokovic had just four. But Djokovic still had a better percentage of points won when getting the first serve in — converting on 69 per cent of his chances as compared to Raonic’s 63 per-cent clip.

Raonic had only two break-point chances, and couldn’t convert on either. Djokovic was 2-for-16 on break points.

Raonic was well ahead on unforced errors, making 48 to Djokovic’s 14. That was a bigger gap than in winners, which Raonic led 48-29.

Raonic, who missed large portions of the second half of last year with a back injury, is projected to move up three places to No. 32 in the world rankings next week.

Meanwhile, Canadian Gabriela Dabrowski and partner Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia have been ousted from women’s doubles.

The No. 4 Czech duo of Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova toppled No. 6 Dabrowski and Ostapenko 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 on Tuesday in the quarterfinals. 

It’s the second time in three years that Dabrowski has reached the quarters of women’s doubles in Melbourne only to come up just short.

The 27-year-old from Ottawa isn’t finished at the Grand Slam, however.

Dabrowski is still alive in the mixed doubles with partner Henri Kontinen of Finland. The No. 3 seeds beat Australia’s Matthew Ebden and Jessica Moore 7-5, 7-6 (5) in a second-round match on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 27, 2020.

The Canadian Press