BRISBANE — An inspired Milos Raonic toppled Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4 to win the Brisbane International Sunday and avenge his defeat to the Swiss master in last year’s final.
Raonic unleashed his usual serving blitz but it was the rangy Canadian’s groundstrokes that impressed the most as he outwitted the Swiss with a masterful display of clean hitting from the baseline.
Federer, irrepressible in his semifinal win over Dominic Thiem, was off-color from the start at Pat Rafter Arena and his 25-year-old opponent feasted repeatedly on his wayward backhand.
Beaten in three tight sets last year, Raonic won at a canter in the rematch to clinch his eighth tour title and complete the perfect buildup to his bid for a maiden Grand Slam at the Australian Open starting later this month.
Closing out the match with a booming first serve that Federer could only parry long, Raonic roared in triumph, having beaten the 17-time Grand Slam champion for only the second time in 11 encounters.
He accepted the winner’s trophy from 77-year-old Australian great Rod Laver, the only player to complete the calendar Grand Slam twice.
“Hopefully (we have) a better year this year than the last,” Raonic said in his victory speech, delivering a message of peace.
“I hope in 2016 we learn to love each other a little bit more and the world becomes a safer place.”
Although wearing a furrowed brow for much of the match and showing rare negative body language, Federer was gracious in defeat but referred to a flu that had troubled him during the week.
“I’d like to congratulate Milos on a great start,” the 34-year-old said.
“This year you deserve it, well played and good luck at the Aussie Open.
“I was a bit sick but we made it to the final.”
Long tipped to rock the tennis establishment, Raonic showed a bullet-proof poise in response to his opponent’s frustration and broke Federer’s serve in the ninth game of the opening set.
Federer blasted a forehand long to concede the set then blew a gilt-edged chance to break Raonic early in the second by spraying a backhand long.
Missing a regulation forehand winner down the line, Federer gave up a break-point and Raonic captured the decisive break in the eighth game.
Federer battled hard to put the set back on level terms, but Raonic’s thunderbolt serve proved to be impenetrable.
Wawrinka completes hat trick
World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka cruised past Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-3, 7-5 to claim his third successive Chennai Open title Sunday.
The top-seeded Swiss defeated the 19-year-old Coric, the youngest ATP World Tour finalist since Kei Nishikori at Delray Beach in 2008, to win his fourth title in six years in the Southern Indian city of Chennai.
The win will give Wawrinka, who has two Grand Slam titles, confidence that he can repeat his 2014 Australian Open success when the season’s opening Grand Slam begins in Melbourne on Jan. 18.
Kvitova, Radwanska pull out
of Sydney International
Defending champion Petra Kvitova and second seed Agnieszka Radwanska are the latest stars to have troubled buildups to this month’s Australian Open after pulling out of the Sydney International Sunday.
In Sunday’s matches, 2014 champion Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova upset Lesia Tsurenko 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 to set up a second-round encounter with Swiss star Belinda Bencic.
Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic accounted for American Coco Vandeweghe in straight sets and Caroline Garcia won the all-French match with Kristina Mladenovic 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
Serbia’s world No. 16 Ana Ivanovic was knocked out by Czech Karolina Pliskova 6-4, 6-2. — Agencies
