Match Highlights:

Vasek Pospisil is for real. The Canadian’s aggressive return game and disciplined construction of points placed him squarely in five-time W&S Open champion Roger Federer’s path. And for the first two sets of their match on Wednesday afternoon, Pospisil appeared ready to seize the day away from the veteran. The rising star – along with countryman Milos Raonic who has garnered even more attention, title, and top ten ranking to boot – brought his spirited revolutionary fervor to Federer and stood toe-to-toe, trading loaded shots from the baseline and precision strikes at the net.

Federer claimed the first set in a tiebreak that came down to the slimmest of missed opportunities for Pospisil and Federer’s instinctive ability to capitalize on such moments. The second set seemed on course for yet another tiebreak, but it was Pospisil, late in the set, who gained the upper hand, breaking Federer to stave off the forced head-to-head.

Something happened in the third set though, that clearly defines these two players, at this point in their careers. Federer, the champion’s champion, flipped the proverbial switch, exerting a measure of his considerable will and took over. He broke Pospisil to take an early 2-1 lead and it was plain to all in attendance, especially Pospisil that Federer was in control. This was a pure alpha dog play and Pospisil mentally surrendered. His game, so thoughtful and compose, slipped into obvious over-thinking in key moments, while a bit of stubbornness reared its head. Pospisil resorted to pounding serves, pushing for power and missing, but probably thinking (and hoping) that things would turn and the next one would go in. Unfortunately, they didn’t and the match was out of reach.

The lesson for Pospisil, and maybe Federer too, is that the same old, same old days won’t last forever.

A change is coming.

And Milos Raonic isn’t merely waiting for the wind, so that he can rise up on it. This guy is generating the mighty wind on his own.

His match against veteran American journeyman Robby Ginepri was over before it even started. Raonic opened the floodgates early, blasting serves in the 130s to hold effortlessly, while starting off his return games on top of the baseline, prowling and leaping forward with a hunger and ferocity that could not be contained, even if Ginepri was playing at the top of his game, which he certainly was not on this night. His own serves barely cracked 110, so Raonic feasted. He has the raw power of a conquerer, but a head full of strategy and a willingness to shift from force to what amounts to brutal efficiency. There is little else to say about his opening match, but let the record show that more, much more is to come. (tt stern-enzi)