Raonic beats Berdych, advances to Italian Open quarter-finals

Canada's-Milos-Raonic-returns-the-ball-to-Czech-Republic's-Tomas-Berdych-during-their-match-at-the-Italian-Open-tennis-tournament,-in-Rome,-Thursday,-May-18,-2017.-(Alessandra-Tarantino/AP)

Canada's Milos Raonic returns the ball to Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych during their match at the Italian Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Thursday, May 18, 2017. (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

ROME — Canada’s Milos Raonic advanced to the quarter-finals of the Italian Open on Thursday with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Czech veteran Tomas Berdych.

The fifth seed from Thornhill, Ont., used his dominant serve to his advantage, firing six aces and winning 96 per cent of his first serve points.

Raonic didn’t face break point while converting all three of his break-point attempts

Raonic will next face Alexander Zverev on Friday. The German ousted home favourite Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday.

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