Milos Raonic wins in ATP return after nearly two years on the sidelines

WATCH: Milos Raonic's return was confirmed last month | The Break

By just stepping on court for the first time in more than two years on Monday at the ATP 250 Libéma Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands, former Top 10 player Milos Raonic was already a winner.

Upsetting a seed in victory was the cherry on top.

The 2016 Wimbledon finalist, now unranked but entered in the Netherlands on an injury-protected ranking, beat No. 5 seed Miomir Kecmanovic, ranked No. 39 in the world, 6-3, 6-4 for his first victory in nearly 27 months.

Former world No. 3 Raonic had been sidelined since the summer of 2021 with a troublesome Achilles, and later, a broken foot. His last match came that July: a first-round loss to American Brandon Nakashima in Atlanta. Raonic last was a winner on March 29, 2021, when he was ranked No. 19 and beat France's Ugo Humbert at the Miami Open.

Already troubled by his Achilles at that point, Raonic played just two more matches in 2021—his last action before Monday's return.

"It's nice to, after almost two years, stepping away for a really long time, to be here, to be giving it one more try, and hopefully, going as far as I can," Raonic said afterwards.

"I've put in the best effort I could, and I want to see how far it takes me. I didn't get to hit a single tennis ball for a year, and now I get to play in front of a bunch of people. It was pretty nerve-wracking. I forgot that feeling."

Kecmanovic was an opponent Raonic enjoyed playing when he was at his finest form—Raonic had won their last two meetings, both in 2019—and the Canadian looked at his vintage, big-serving best over 84 minutes on Monday as he struck 15 aces, won 92% of his first-serve points, and cracked booming forehands off the ground.

He won the last three games of the opening set, and held on to an early break he secured to wrap up the second set, and the match. He served 10 of his aces for the match in the second set, in which he lost just three points on serve.

A first win in any injury comeback is a major milestone. But as far as his overall goals, both for the tournament and for his tennis future, Raonic says he's taking it "day-by-day."

"[The hiatus], it's been a little bit heartbreaking, a lot of the time, where I couldn't do anything," he said. "It's nice for me to be here one more time. I get a chance to be on court, I get a chance to play, I get a chance to compete, I get a chance to put in the work, and I get a chance to see how far it takes me. So I'm grateful."

Up next, Raonic will face either Australia's Jordan Thompson or French qualifier Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. A quarterfinal meeting against No. 1 seed Danill Medvedev could be on the cards if Raonic wins that match.