NEW YORK | We would have understood Milos Raonic if he had let out a big “oh no” (or even something more vulgar…) upon learning that his opponent in the first round would be, for the second year in a row, a player belonging to the Top 10 ranks top 10 in the world. But the Canadian isn’t like that.

In fact, Raonic doesn’t fit the typical athlete shape. We get that once again as he explains at length why he doesn’t care to face seventh-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas in his first match at the US Open, a tournament the 32-year-old Ontario native hasn’t set foot in for three years .

And no, it’s not because the 1.95m giant has had two wins against the Greek in his career, both in 2020. Much water has flowed under New York’s bridges since then.

The answer is much more thoughtful, like all of the answers philosopher Raonic offered during his 10-minute meeting with the media on Saturday morning.

“Of course it’s difficult [comme tirage]but in a way, if I want to win a game or two here, I have no choice but to play one of the favorites in one of these meetings, since I’m not a seed. , recalled the veteran, who fell to 339^e World ranked after being off the track for almost two years.

“And I think it’s best to face them before they’ve had time to get a foothold in the tournament. […] “If I play well, I’ll take the place of a seed,” he basically analyzed. But that’s going too far…”

No big talk yet.

Project yourself too far. This is what Raonic has denied since returning to competition last June.

Be it when it comes to his performances in any of the three tournaments he has participated in so far (he reached the second round in ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Wimbledon, then the third in Toronto) or the pursuit of his career.

Even ahead of his first game at the All England Club, the former world number three, who was considered a seed at the start of the Grand Slam, said he would definitely come back to play in London, Toronto and New York. And that he should then have “a great conversation with himself about his future”.».

Nothing had changed in his speech on Saturday, two days before his confrontation with Tsitsipas, which will be played around 7 p.m. at Louis Armstrong Stadium, the second most important stadium in the Big Apple with around 14,000 seats and a retractable roof.

However, he managed to beat the 10 in front of family and friends in Toronto^e World, the American Frances Tiafoe, in this other difficult draw of which he was a victim.

Photo Credit: Photo Getty Images via AFP

Although the physique is doing reasonably well at the moment, despite various injuries that have plagued him since his return (as throughout his career), including one to the shoulder that forced him into the stalemate at last week’s Cincinnati Masters.

Raonic also says he should show up in New York in good shape. On Saturday, he was happy about the heat that finally reigned over New York after a few gray, rainy or cool days. After all, he now lives in the Bahamas.

“I haven’t taken the time to think about it yet,” said the Canadian. […] I’m still going through tournament after tournament. I’m keeping my goals short term for now and haven’t had a chance to have this philosophical conversation with myself yet.