Reuters
Cincinnati, August 21: Sizzling hot Andy Murray roared into his seventh successive final with a commanding victory over Canadian Milos Raonic at the Western & Southern Open here Saturday. Olympic champion Murray, who beat Raonic in the Wimbledon final, notched his career-best 22nd consecutive win by blunting the fourth-seeded Canadian’s intimidating service game in a 6-3, 6-3 semifinal victory.
The World No.2 will face 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic of Croatia in the final. Cilic overcame Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, coming back twice from a break down in the third set. Murray has won 11 of 13 matches against 12th seed Cilic.
Raonic seemed off rhythm from the start, double-faulting twice as the Scot registered a break in the opening game. “He served a couple of doubles that first game and I managed to get the break, and then had the momentum from there,” said Murray, who registered his fifth win against Raonic this season.
Two-times Cincinnati winner Murray played with energy and excellence from sideline to sideline. He broke Raonic again in the ninth game to close out the first set.
The second set went on serve until the eighth game, when Raonic committed another double fault, elected not to volley a lob that fell well within the baseline and netted a forehand on break point, one of his 31 unforced errors. He then closed out the match easily.
