Raonic roars into Chennai Open title meeting with Tipsarevic

CHENNAI: Nicolas Almagro did nothing really wrong, and according to him, he played a really good match. But when Milos Raonic played like the way he did in the semifinal of the Aircel Chennai Open, there's nothing he could have done either.
The Canadian served 17 aces, apart from some sledgehammer forehands, to storm in to the final with a 6-4, 6-4 win over the No.2 seed at the SDAT stadium, Nungambakkam, on Saturday.
The fourth seed will play top seed Janko Tipsarevic in the final. The Serbian stopped the dream run of Japanese qualifier, winning 6-1, 6-4 in the second semifinal which lasted an hour and twenty minutes.
The World No. 9 gave Soeda no chance in the first set, breaking the World No. 120 in the second and fourth games of the match before closing it 6-1. Soeda tried everything he could in the second set, and even broke Tipsarevic once, but when he was broken in the seventh game, for the fourth time in the match, his chances for a comeback went with it.
For Tipsarevic, who's looking for a third career title, this would be his eighth final, where he needs to take care of a certain Canadian giant and his big serves.
Raonic was tested by Dudi Sela in their quarterfinal match as the Canadian was at times confused about his shot selection. But 24 hours later, he knew what he was doing and did exactly what he wanted.
He was a different player. The World No. 31 served at an average of more than 220 kms per hour and 78 per cent of his first service landed in, which made survival all the more difficult for the 26-year-old from Murcia, Spain.
"I lost to one of the best hard court players, I played my game, I'm happy with my game, but he served like a monster," Almagro said.
The win gave Raonic his third final appearance, and after the San Jose triumph in 2011, a shot at a second title.
After the first six games went with the serve, Raonic made his move when Almagro served in the seventh game. Two unforced errors from the Spaniard on either side of a spectacular point which went Raonic's way gave the 21-year-old three break points. Though Almagro saved two, Raonic's forehand to win the point was too much for Almagro.
What followed was even more impressive. Four thumping aces which Almagro barely saw gave Raonic a 5-3 lead and further solidified his position. Though Almagro managed to hold his serve to make it 5-4, hoping to stop Raonic's serve, when he was on song, was asking for too much.