Milos Raonic arrived on the Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers from the Paris Olympic Video games the place his compatriots Félix Auger-Aliassime and Gabriela Dabrowski gained Canada’s first tennis medal in 24 years.
The previous world no. 3, who is usually credited with paving the way in which for the present era of Canadian gamers, was filled with reward for the historic achievement when he met with the media in Montreal on Sunday.
“I believe it’s unimaginable, it’s been 20 plus years since Daniel (Nestor) and Sébastien (Lareau) did it, profitable gold in doubles”, Raonic mentioned. “Félix (Auger-Aliassime) actually took on quite a bit enjoying three occasions all through the entire week. I believe it’s only a testomony to the infrastructure of Canadian tennis, the assumption of Canadian tennis and the respect for Canadian tennis that has modified during the last decade”
The 33-year-old, who performed in Paris 12 years after his first Olympic expertise in London, had a complete new perspective throughout his second go-around and did his finest to absorb the environment away from the courts and benefit from the alternative another way.
Learn: Auger-Aliassime, Dabrowski Win Olympic Blended Doubles Bronze
Whatever the many historic firsts he completed that helped put Canada on the tennis map, Raonic isn’t centered on his personal particular person legacy however as a substitute on the expansion of the game as a collective effort.
“All I actually centered on was enjoying one of the best tennis potential and be nearly as good as I may be and if that had another results, it’s nice if it occurs,” Raonic defined. “It makes an enormous distinction whenever you’re rising up and you may see that as an athlete from that nation that you may reach that sport. And now that there are increasingly more athletes succeeding, you imagine within the course of extra. It is a course of that works, it’s a course of that’s developed nice gamers.”
READ: 5 years later, Milos makes his method to Montréal
Talking of the method, for the primary time in 5 years, Raonic will play on the identical IGA Stadium courts the place he honed his craft as a promising junior at Tennis Canada’s Nationwide Tennis Centre and on the identical event the place he turned the primary Canadian to achieve a Masters 1000 ultimate in 2013.
“I’ve performed a few of my finest tennis in Montreal,” Raonic mentioned. “I used to be right here for a couple of years that have been actually pivotal to the event of my profession so it’s all the time a terrific pleasure to be again.”
It appears solely becoming that the event might be marked by the celebration of one other landmark second that he performed a job in inspiring, whether or not he needs to confess it or not.
