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Milos Raonic Ends Miomir Kecmanovic's Magical Run at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Milos Raonic made sure Miomir Kecmanovic's good luck finally ran out at the BNP Paribas Open.
Raonic beat the 19-year-old Serb 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to reach the semifinals and improve to 19-4 at Indian Wells since 2014.
Raonic fired 13 aces against no double faults in putting away Kecmanovic in 72 minutes on a sunny, windy and cool day in the Southern California desert.
''Even when I was hitting the spots, I wasn't hitting them that well,'' Raonic said of his serving. ''I think that can get better.''
He'll try to improve next against No. 7 Dominic Thiem, who advanced via walkover when No. 18 Gael Monfils announced on court that he couldn't play because of a left Achilles injury.
At 15-3 this year, Monfils was off to the best start of his career. But he was 0-4 against Thiem.
Kecmanovic was the first lucky loser to reach the quarterfinals at the tournament since it became a Masters 1000 event in 1990. Ranked 130th in the world, the Serb lost in qualifying, but his fortune soon turned.
Three seeded players withdrew before the tournament began, clearing the way for Kecmanovic to become a lucky loser and receive a first-round bye.
The teenager certainly made the most of it. Kecmanovic got by three players, including 30th-seeded Laslo Djere, in straight sets to set up his second meeting with Raonic.
That's where Kecmanovic's luck ended.
Raonic won 88% of his first-serve points and saved all three break chances against him.
''I knew he had nothing to lose, and I had to be really disciplined with myself,'' Raonic said.
In January, Raonic beat Kecmanovic in straight sets on his way to the title at Brisbane in January.
