THE MODERATOR: Unfortunately, Milos has to pull out of the tournament. He will explain why and then we will go to questions.
MILOS RAONIC: It was a pretty shitty feeling, but I tried to warm up for my match today. The thing that was the most difficult was to serve.
Yeah, I don't think I would have been able to be competitive by any means. I can manage a lot of things, but without serving, that would be a tough day for me.
So just had pain down my shoulder and got to see where it's at.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Is that something that's new to you, this specific thing, or was that something you felt over the last few days or so?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, it came up initially right when I came here on hard courts after the clay. I was playing points the other days, and I was kind of having similar feeling. Took some days off trying to kind of feel better about it. It just wasn't anywhere close to where I need it to be.
Q. You obviously have had it checked out. Do you have any specifics on which muscle it is or what exactly the problem might be?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, they say I need more tests. That's the thing. We were checking a few things. So they were saying I just need to kind of have a chance to do an MRI, which wasn't possible to this point.
Q. How heartbreaking is it to have to pull out, especially here in Montreal, in Canada?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I've had a lot of moments where I haven't been able to play, but I would say this is probably the most difficult one. Yeah, because, A, I haven't played here in five years. I don't know if I'll come back to Montreal.
You're talking about two years away, like all these kind of things. It's just a very shitty feeling.
Q. At age 33 with a history of injuries like this, and you just said it, you don't know if you will be back in two years, how big of a cloud is it on your career and on the future?
MILOS RAONIC: To be honest with you, all this is happening, like, within the last 48 hours. So I haven't had really a chance to think about -- I was just trying to be ready for today and to have a chance to play.
I was doubting if it was going to be possible after having to cancel some practices, but I'm just trying to be positive about it as much as I can and not think too far ahead until I have more information, right? Just not to try to skip ahead of anything.
Q. You've had a lot of broken parts and everything, but it feels like the shoulder and the serve have always been the thing that when you come back has sort of always been there for you. Did you think maybe your shoulder would escape all of this at some point? Are you surprised that that has also now added to your injury list?
MILOS RAONIC: Yeah, I've had small things with my shoulder before. It hasn't always been easy. It's just I haven't had -- and this might not be a serious thing.
I haven't played on clay in a long time. Obviously the ball is heavier, all these kind of things, playing those three long sets, doubles the next day. It could be just a byproduct of just overload.
I don't know if it's really anything. The tests were not possible because all the tests I would needed to have done was with a contrast. That can irritate your shoulder for a week. It's not like I could have really gotten any information. It was kind of going off feel and how things feel until now.
Maybe I was a little too optimistic over the last few days, but I definitely wanted to try up to the last moment to know what was possible. So I'm just trying not to be too bummed out about it.
Q. A couple of hours ago we spoke with Kei Nishikori, and he mentioned you and Andy Murray as players who have kind of the same path lately of trying to overcome some injuries and stuff. Is that something you talk about among yourselves, and is there some source of motivation there to try and get it done together?
MILOS RAONIC: You can talk about certain things. I don't think it's any one injury. As similar as it may be, I don't think it's the same, right? I think everybody is carrying a different way with it.
If I was to have a hip injury, for me maybe it's a little bit easier to get over because I don't need to run as much. You are talking about different styles of play and all these kind of things.
As relatable as things can be, I think you sympathize, but I don't think you can really have this really in depth conversation about it and these kind of things because each moment is so different.
All three of us are very different body shapes. The way we play is very different. I think each instance is a very unique one that very few things probably carry over from one person's experience to the next.
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