MELBOURNE, Australia -- Canada's Milos Raonic has advanced to the quarterfinals at the Australian Open for the third straight year after a 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Roberto Bautista Agut.
Raonic, who's been ill with the flu for the past few days, struggled at the outset against the 13th-seeded Spaniard. He rallied from 5-1 down in the first-set tiebreaker to win the opening set, then was broken twice in the second set.
But Bautista Agut began to falter midway through the third set when the roof at Hisense Arena was closed due to a passing rain shower, and he later had to call for a trainer to work on his leg.
"I was very fortunate to get through today," Raonic said. "There were moments where it wasn't looking so good."
The Thornhill, Ont. product hit 33 aces and 75 winners but had nine double-faults and 55 unforced errors, and seemed to get on a roll after spiking his racket into the court in frustration in the ninth game of the third set.
"I'm happy that I was able to find a way to pull through," he said.
Asked during the brief post match on court interview how his body was feeling, Raonic's one word reply was "fantastic."
Raonic is seeded third for the first time at a Grand Slam, and the top two seeds, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, are already out of the tournament.
He next plays the winner of today's match between Gael Monfils of France and Rafael Nadal of Spain.
