TORONTO – Rogers Sportsnet has scored an ace by adding Canada’s top-ranked sensation Milos Raonic to the broadcast booth for the 2011 Rogers Cup.
Raonic will share the analyst duties with former No.5-ranked ATP singles player Jimmy Arias and join play-by-play voice Rob Faulds during the men’s draw at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal on Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Thursday, Aug. 11.
Raonic became Canada’s highest-ranked male singles player ever at No. 25 earlier this year, and currently sits at 29. His incredible rise in 2011 began when he jumped from the No. 156 ranking to No. 37, after reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open. This marked the first time a qualifier had advanced to the fourth round of a Grand Slam since 1999.
Raonic captured his first ATP title at the SAP Open by defeating the top-seeded Fernando Verdasco. The 20-year-old native of Thornhill, Ontario, became the first Canadian to win an ATP World Tour title in 16 years. A week later, Raonic went undefeated at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships before falling to Andy Roddick in the final. At the Wimbledon Championships in June, Raonic advanced to the second round but was forced to retire during the first set with an injury. Raonic continues to rehab after undergoing a minor hip procedure on July 5, with a goal to returning to action at the U.S. Open in late August.
Sportsnet will broadcast live coverage of the 2011 Rogers Cup starting from Monday, Aug. 8 to Friday, Aug. 12 on the Sportsnet ONE, East, Ontario, West and Pacific channels, offering viewers a choice of matches during the daily 12-hour coverage. Coverage begins each day at 11 a.m. ET, with simultaneous coverage of the men’s matches (from Montreal) and women’s matches (from Toronto). Sportsnet’s coverage includes the first three rounds and the quarter-finals.