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LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 29: Milos Raonic of Canada shows his dejection during his Gentlemen’s Singles second round match against Sam Querrey of USA on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 29: Milos Raonic of Canada shows his dejection during his Gentlemen’s Singles second round match against Sam Querrey of USA on day five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2012 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images)
With the US Open in less than three weeks, the best in tennis are scrambling to warm up for the final Grand Slam of the year. However, Canadian star Milos Raonic suffered a setback on the road to Flushing Meadows.
The 30-year-old pulled out of the upcoming Cincinnati Open citing an injury. This marks another low in the Canadian’s injury-filled 2021 season.
Milos Raonic withdraws from the 2021 Cincinnati Open
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The 30-year-old was one of the brightest Canadian tennis prospects since turning pro in 2008. During his career, Raonic reached the semifinals of the 2016 Australian Open before reaching the final in Wimbledon the same year. With a string of exceptional performances, he reached his highest singles career ranking of #3 that year.
Since then, he struggled with several injuries throughout his career, and the 2021 season is no exception. In fact, the Australian Open earlier this year is the Canadian’s only Grand Slam appearance. Although he won the first three matches, he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
In addition, he played just one match since his loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the Miami Open in March. Although he was expected to return to action in the Cincinnati Open this week, his injury setbacks halted his return to the court.
Milos' career… it's tough. https://t.co/7qf2gTY6Sj
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) August 11, 2021
With just weeks left for the US Open, this withdrawal throws a huge wrench in the Canadian’s preparation.
READ MORE: Why Did Rafael Nadal Withdraw From the National Bank Open 2021?
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Will Raonic make it to the US Open?
Raonic faces a race against time to be fit by August 30 for the hard court Grand Slam. However, the Cincinnati Open is the last chance for players to fine tune their fitness and gameplay before the US Open.
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INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 16: Milos Raonic of Canada looks dejected during his match against Dominic Thiem of Austria in the semifinals of the men’s singles on March 16, 2019 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, California. (Photo by TPN/Getty Images)
Hence, Raonic could find the challenge difficult even if he makes it to Flushing Meadows on time. Ranked #23 in the world, the odds seem stacked against the Canadian to make it to the US Open given his history of injuries.
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