Fresh off his Davis Cup win, tennis star Milos Raonic temporarily turned his focus to something he says is another important aspect of his life – philanthropic work.
Canada’s top-ranked tennis player made his first major public donation -- $70,000 -- to Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital during a stop in Toronto on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old launched The Milos Raonic Foundation in 2012 to help children reach their full potential by removing both economic and physical barriers. The foundation is currently focusing on children in need of prosthetics.
The funds donated to the rehabilitation centre will establish the Milos Raonic Kids Agility Clinic, which will help kids who have amputations lead active lives, as well as support the development of a low-cost prosthetic knee.
Raonic told CTV’s Canada AM that he’d like to see his foundation grow alongside his career.
“Right now I’m really on tour most of the time. The best way I can advertise Canada and support for (the foundation) is through success,” he said. “That’s going to change at one point and I want to be ready to have something solid there so I can continue to make a big difference.”
Raonic, the face of Tennis Canada, said he hopes his success can also shine a spotlight on the sport in this country.
Asked about his own childhood, the Thornhill, Ont., native said he was never bothered by the sacrifices he made to achieve his tennis goals.
“I remember I would go to the court at 6 a.m. before school and I’d leave early at 1 p.m. to train after school,” he said. “I did this never with a doubt that it was something I wanted to do.”
Currently sitting at a career-high No. 13 in the world rankings, Raonic says he couldn’t be happier with his life.
“I get to fulfill my dream by being at the tournaments and the stadiums I looked up to and being one of the best in the world. As well as I get to make a difference in peoples’ lives. So all these things coming together make me a much happier person.”
