Canada’s Milos Raonic, Dancevic, and Wozniak, in action at US Open

It’s a big day for Canadians in the singles at Flushing Meadows. Milos Raonic and Frank Dancevic will aim to progress in the men’s competition while Aleksandra Wozniak and Eugenie Bouchard are both in action in the women’s second round. Al Dannity previews a big day at the US Open.

The first round went as expected for Milos Raonic. Thomas Fabbiano was never in the fight and now the Canadian has his sights set on Pablo Andujar of Spain. Andujar is about as specialised a player as they come. If the tournament is on clay, he’s a danger to anyone. If it’s any other surface, Andujar almost ceases to be a credible threat. At the four Masters Series tournaments on hard courts this year, Andujar managed to win just two matches in the main draw and was forced to qualify for Indian Wells. By contrast, he went all the way to the semi-finals in Madrid, winning four matches along the way. On the Grandstand court against a power player like Raonic, it’s hard to see the Spaniard putting up much of a fight.

Frank Dancevic can expect a stern test when he faces #19 seed Tommy Robredo on Court 11. Like Andujar, Robredo favours clay. Unlike his countryman, the Spaniard is more than capable of handling himself on other surfaces. For Dancevic to win, he’ll need the Spaniard to have an off day. Of course there is one thing going in the Canadian’s favour. Dancevic has experience of taking down heavily favoured Spanish opponents. Marcel Granollers was supposed to make light work of the Canadian in their Davis Cup rubber back in February. Instead it was Dancevic who wiped the floor with his opponent in straight sets. A similar shock may be within his compass.

Eugenie Bouchard was supposed to face Angelique Kerber yesterday but the match was delayed due to rain. Instead they will meet this morning in Louis Armstrong Stadium. Canada’s only other woman left in the main draw will take to the same court a few hours after Bouchard’s match. Aleksandra Wozniak’s reward for her straight sets win over Vesna Dolonc is a clash with #2 seed Victoria Azarenka. If Wozniak takes a single game, it’ll be more than Dinah Pfizenmaier managed in her first round loss to the Belarusian. That double-bagel made Azarenka’s intentions loud and clear. She doesn’t plan on hanging around. The first week should be a breeze for her, which is bad news for Wozniak.