milos raonic
Milos Raonic is currently ranked number six in the ATP tennis rankings Getty

Milos Raonic takes on Grigor Dimitrov in the men's singles semi-final clash of the 2016 China Open on Saturday (8 October).

Where to watch live

The match starts at 2pm BST. Live coverage of the game will be available in the UK on Sky Sports 2 and Sky Sports 2 HD. Click herefor live streaming of the match.

Overview

For Canadian star Milos Raonic, 2016 has been a brilliant year with the world number six winning his maiden Brisbane Open title while also reaching the finals of the Indian Wells as well as the 2016 Wimbledon Championships.

Since his Wimbledon sojourn, the Canadian has suffered a dip in form crashing out in the second round of the US Open and in the opening round at St Petersburg. However, that though does not counter the fact that Raonic, when in form, is one of the most dangerous players at present on the ATP circuit. He comes into this clash as the favourite to reach the finals at Beijing for the first time in his career.

Ranked 20 in the world, Grigor Dimitrov has been somewhat of an enigma in the ATP circuit, with his inconsistency hurting his talent. On 7 October though he showed just why he is so highly rated beating Rafael Nadal in the quarter-final at Beijing.

The former world number eight was simply phenomenal on the day with his shots proving to be unstoppable. His consistency in the long rallies was too much for Nadal, with this perhaps being his best performance of his career.

He comes into the semi-final clash against Raonic on a high and if he continues this form, there is no reason why he cannot progress to the final.

Betting odds (betfair)

  • Milos Raonic to win: 4/6
  • Grigor Dimitrov to win: 5/4

Head-to-head

The duo have faced each thrice in the ATP tour and Grand Slam events, with Dimitrov holding a 2-1 win loss record. The last time they faced off was in the round of 32 of the Australian Open earlier this year with the Bulgarian winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6.

China Open history

Raonic and Dimitrov have never faced each other at the China Open in the past.