U.S. Open: Murray d. Raonic

NEW YORK—The term “master class” could be used to describe a lot of matches, maybe even a majority of matches, on the pro tours. But Andy Murray’s 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win over Milos Raonic on Monday night at the U.S. Open deserved that accolade more than most. In fact, there was nothing else that you could possibly call it.

Murray has a way with players like Raonic, tall power servers who most opponents find dangerous. He seems to relish the match-up—his return is one of the best in the game, and with his slice, variety, and speed, he can torment the bigger man by spinning him around once the rally begins. But rarely has Murray done those things with the quietly precise gusto that he did them on this day against Raonic. To start, he used his bending slice serve out wide in the deuce court, and down the T in the ad court, to stretch him. During rallies, he changed directions and trajectories maddeningly, and went to the drop shot whenever he saw the 6-foot-5 Raonic spinning his wheels behind the baseline. He squeezed the court by easily tracking down Raonic’s aggressive shots and returning them in uncomfortable spots. Murray the web-weaver didn’t need to go for winners, or even be offensive, to control the action tonight. He finished with just 12 unforced errors to Raonic’s 27.

Murray saved his best for when Raonic approached the net. On some points, he dropped the ball, with both vicious topspin and slice, at his feet. On others, he threaded the needle down the line and cross-court for demoralizing winners. Staying back, coming forward, it didn’t matter, Raonic was caught in the spider’s web.

At one point, when Murray belted a huge serve up the middle and followed it with a forehand winner that dropped on the sideline, Raonic looked to his box and said, “What can I do?” And it’s true, there wasn’t much he could do. This match shows how big the gap still is between the fourth member of the current Big 4, and the No. 1 member of the next generation. It was a master class in modern tennis not just for the spectators, but for Raonic as well. He’ll never be able to match the speed of the top guys. The question is: What can he do instead to make up for it?

You can point to Raonic’s return position (he didn’t earn a break point all night), or his transition game, or his volleying skills, or his backhand potency, or his ability to get around quickly enough for his inside-out forehand—those things can all be improved. He was mostly at sea at net tonight; does he need a specialist to help teach him to attack it? (His current coach, Galo Blanco, was a baseliner.) Maybe more important, though, is Raonic’s attitude. When he asked, “What am I supposed to do?” he was up 0-30 on Murray’s serve—not surprisingly, he didn’t break. And when the match was over, he showed no sign of disappointment as he traded smiles with Murray at the net. Raonic has come a long way on his serve, but it’s all of the other factors that will decide whether he becomes a champion, or remains a very good big server.

As for Murray, he hasn’t been as masterful so far as Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, but he has worked himself into the tournament—this was, obviously, his best match so far. Next up for him is Marin Cilic. When Brad Gilbert asked Murray about it afterward, Murray mentioned his loss to him here in 2009. When Gilbert reminded him that he had beaten Cilic in their other six matches, Murray turned and walked away with a sly smile. A sly and confident smile.