Milos Raonic recovered from a break down in the third set on Monday in Indian Wells to end the dream run of World No. 217 Marcos Giron 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, advancing to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open for his sixth straight time.
Giron, who owned just one ATP Tour win entering the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year, took a 4-1 lead in the third set as he tried to complete the upset. But Raonic found some of his best tennis when it mattered most, winning the final five games to triumph after one hour and 56 minutes.
"I knew he could play really well. I think I created a lot of chances and a few maybe I didn't take the way I would have liked. But he also stepped up well on his chances," Raonic said. "He came up with the goods and definitely pushed me sort of to the brink there where I was getting a little bit frustrated. I just kept trying to plug away."
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The former World No. 3 hit 22 aces in the match, winning 78 per cent of his first-serve points. But the 13th seed’s biggest shot of the day came on his 12th break chance, when he hit an inside-in forehand passing shot to take the lead before serving out the match at the first time of asking.
"I think it's really about just sticking through. I just kept missing opportunities. I could have drifted off a few times mentally. I just kept plugging away and giving myself chances," Raonic said. "I just kept with the understanding that he hasn't been in this scenario before and I just tried to make him play in a few more of the situations."
Raonic has advanced to the quarter-finals or better in Indian Wells the past four times he has competed in the desert. The 28-year-old will try to make it five trips in a row to the last eight here when he faces German Jan-Lennard Struff, who upset reigning Nitto ATP Finals champion Alexander Zverev. Struff defeated Raonic in Dubai last month (FedEx ATP Head2Head series tied 1-1).
Raonic made the semi-finals here in 2018, losing to eventual champion Juan Martin del Potro. The Canadian, who is pursuing his first ATP Tour title since 2016 Brisbane, made the final in Indian Wells three years ago (l. to Djokovic).
Did You Know?
With his victory against Giron, Raonic is now 15-3 against players ranked outside of the Top 200 in tour-level events.
