Facing multiple choice questions from reporters, the sixth-seeded Canadian did turn down option C, poor, but Raonic knew he had ridden his luck against the 35-year-old Russian on Thursday to reach round three.

“I think I won two points in the first two or three games. That was a bad start,” Raonic, who lost to Britain’s Andy Murray in straight sets in last year’s final, told reporters.

“I was fortunate that I didn’t get down two sets to love. He had those two set points… He was up 6-4 in that tiebreaker.

“I got very lucky in those scenarios and then I sort of kept plugging away and made it count after that.”

Raonic next plays Spanish 25th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas.

(Reporting by Alison Williams; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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