OTTAWA: Former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic retired on Monday.
Raonic was the first Canadian man to reach a Grand Slam final in 2016 at Wimbledon. He beat Roger Federer in the semifinals 6-3, 6-7, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 and lost to Andy Murray in the final.
That year, he also reached the Australian Open semifinals, suffering an adductor injury when he led Murray two sets to one, and qualified for the ATP Finals for the first time. He ended the year at a career-high No. 3 ranking.
“I have been the luckiest person to get to live out and fulfill my dreams,” Raonic said on X. “I got to show up every day and focus on just getting better, seeing where that will take me, and playing a game I was introduced to at 8 years old by complete luck. Somehow, this became my entire obsession and childhood, and then became my profession and life.”
Big-serving Raonic, nicknamed “Missile,” won eight ATP singles titles after turning professional in 2011.
He holds the record for most aces in a three-set match, 47, at Queen's Club in 2024 and played his last career match soon after at the Paris Olympics, a 7-6, 6-7, 6-7 loss to Dominik Koepfer in the first round.
“The time has come, I am retiring from tennis,” the 35-year-old Raonic said. “This is a moment you know will come one day, but somehow you never feel ready for it. This is as ready as I will ever be. Tennis has been my love and obsession for most of my life,” Raonic said.