Milos Raonic one match away from first ever quarterfinal appearance in a Grand Slam

For the second straight year, Milos Raonic has qualified for the round of 16 at the U.S. Open.

Raonic hammered 28 aces to go along with 49 winners, in disposing of 26th ranked Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

The 22-year-old and current world No. 11 will now take on either 34th ranked Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) or 9th ranked Richard Gasquet (France)

It should be an easier road to advance than it was last year when Roanic, playing in just his second U.S. Open, faced Andy Murray in the fourth round. Murray, who ranked fourth in the world at the time, defeated the Canadian in straight sets (6-4, 6-4. 6-2) en route to winning his first career Grand Slam.

Colour commentator Todd Martin, who was a finalist in 1999 at Flushing Meadows, predicted continued progression for Raonic at this tournament.

"I look at him as the favourite to come out of that section," he said on the broadcast "There is no weapon out here quite like Milos Roanic's serve."

If the Thornhill, Ont., native can get by Gasquet or Tursunov, he will reach his first quarter-final at a Grand Slam where he will likely face fourth ranked Spaniard, David Ferrer.

The draw has been kinder to Raonic in 2013 than it was a year ago. Should he advance, he will not have to face powerhouses Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer before the semifinals while Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are in the other bracket.

In the Twitter world, their was plenty of praise for the great Canadian hopeful, including from former Liberal Party leader and Premier of Ontario - Bob Rae