FOREST » year -- but first against someone other than Djokovic o

LONDON -- Milos Raonic is as good a server as there is in tennis nowadays.Andy Murray is one of the top returners.How that matchup plays out in the Wimbledon final Sunday could go a long way toward determining who wins the championship.The sixth-seeded Raonic heads into the first Grand Slam title match of his career -- and the first for a man representing Canada -- having won 116 of his 121 service games (96 percent) across six matches.Obviously, said Murray, the 2013 Wimbledon champion, Milos has got a fantastic serve.Raonic, who added John McEnroe to his coaching staff ahead of the grass-court portion of this season, has hit 154 aces, averaging 25 1/2 per match. Hes faced only 27 break points, saving 22.In his five-set victory over Roger Federer in the semifinals, Raonic saved 8 of 9 break points.Not only did the 6-foot-5 Raonic repeatedly top 140 mph in that match, he went as high as 144 mph more than once, and his average first serve of 129 mph was faster than Federers best offering of 126 mph.Raonics serve is speedy and scary, to be sure -- British Davis Cup captain Leon Smith called it ginormous -- but it is also much more than that.One reason its so effective is because of his ability to alter velocity and placement.Against Federer, he would boom one right at the body at upward of 135 mph -- emanating a thud that reverberated around Centre Court -- then hit an ace out wide at 115 mph that sent up a spray of chalk when it hit a line.You dont get in a rhythm, said Sam Querrey, the American who lost to Raonic in the quarterfinals after beating No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the third round. You go games on his serve where you might get one return in play.Dont count on that happening too often against Murray.Take out players who didnt make it past the second round this fortnight, and the second-seeded Murray ranks No. 1 in:- percentage of returns put in play, 77;- percentage of second-serve points won, 64;- percentage of return games won, 36.Murray -- a two-time major champion, most famously becoming the first British man to win Wimbledon in 77 years -- has won his past five matchups against Raonic. Just three weeks ago, Murray won their meeting in the final of the Queens Club grass-court tournament. Murray dropped the first set, then trailed 3-0 in the second, before beginning the turnaround with a return winner.It helps to have played a match against him on the grass, Murray said. You know, see some of the things hes doing on this surface a little bit differently.For Murray, this will be the 11th Grand Slam final of his career -- and third of this year -- but first against someone other than Djokovic or Federer.Raonic was asked what sort of a boost his debut in a major final might be for Canadian tennis.Its great to sort of be at the center and front of that come Sunday. Im glad that Ive sort of been leading this charge, the first one to break through and really put these things together, he said. But Im by no means done.Both times Murray earned a major trophy, Ivan Lendl was his coach. And after a hiatus, they have reunited.I dont think its a coincidence. I obviously had the best years of my career with him, Murray said.I obviously wanted to work with Ivan again to try to help me win these events, he added. Thats the goal.One of eight-time major champion Lendls rivals during his playing days was McEnroe, who won three of his seven Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon. Lendl won 21 of their 36 head-to-head matchups, although McEnroe won the only time they played at the All England Club, in the 1983 semifinals.Lendl is expected to be seated in Murrays guest box at Centre Court for the final. McEnroe? Instead of supporting Raonic at courtside, hell be in the TV commentary booth, calling the match for ESPN.---Freelance writer Sandra Harwitt contributed to this report.---Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at http://twitter.com/HowardFendrich Wholesale Shoes China Free Shipping .ca. Hey Kerry, big fan of yours, just finished reading your book. I think that we all saw the Canucks/Flames line brawl just after puck drop. It was obvious that something was about to happen, even to the referees because the fourth lines were on to start. Discount Shoes Online Free Shipping . 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MADRID -- Real Madrid will be adding a retractable roof to the Santiago Bernabeu after finally reaching an agreement with the city to remodel the stadium.Madrid president Florentino Perez said Tuesday the project will cost 400 million euros ($447 million) and construction is expected to start next year.The revamped venue, which will also carry a new facade, is expected to be fully completed by 2020.We will see a dramatic transformation of the Santiago Bernabeu, Perez said. This stadium is one of the emblematic icons of our city and we want to make it one of the best stadiums in the world and the undisputed symbol of the strength of our capital.Madrid had tried to remodel its famed venue for several times but earlier projects were turned down by the city and court decisions.The new deal was announced at an event with Madrid Mayor Manuela Carmena.With this agreement we will start a process of modernization and transformation that will convert the stadium into an avant-garde architectural icon, Perez said. This stadium will act as an economic and touristic invigorator and will contribute to strengthening the image of our city.The venue originally inaugurated in 1947 will maintain its capacity of more than 80,000, although the seating sections may be redesigned. One of the stadiums most notable features, the four corner access towers, will be covered by the new facade.Perez said the Santiago Bernabeu will maintain its name, but it may gain a surname from a sponsor like at stadiums everywhere in the world.Abu Dhabi investment fund Internationnal Petroleum Investment Company is helping finance the renovation.dddddddddddd.Because of the agreement with the city, Madrid wont be allowed to increase the total size of the structures already in place, so it will have to rearrange the current constructions to be able to remodel the venue. Some office spaces will be transferred to the teams base in Ciudad Real Madrid, in the citys outskirts.The clubs initial plan was to build a hotel and a shopping center along with the remodeled stadium, something that had prompted fierce opposition across the city. The club will still be able to use the new space commercially, but not how it originally planned.Officials praised the fact that one of the stadiums parking lots will be transformed into a large public area, and that the new roof will help reduce noise in the neighborhood.This deal happened to promote the modernization project of the stadium and to improve and urban environment around our beloved Bernabeu, Carmena said.The Bernabeu stands in the middle of the high-end neighborhood of Chamartin.In March, rival Barcelona announced its own remodeling project for the Camp Nou, increasing capacity from 99,354 to 105,000 after construction is fully finished in about five years. The stadium will also have a new roof covering all seating sections.---Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni ' ' '