Young Raonic and Pospisil: Throwback Thursday

Milos Raonic, 17, and Vasek Pospisil, just turned 18, finally made it to Wimbledon for the first time in 2008.

Until then, their junior rankings weren't high enough to get them in. And even that year, Raonic had to win two qualifying matches to get into the singles main draw. It was the last year they were eligible for the junior event.

Raonic lost in the second round of the singles to Henrique Cunha of Brazil. Pospisil lost in the first round of singles to a promising 16-year-old American by the name of Ryan Harrison.

They did have hope in doubles, though, after reaching the semi-finals together at the junior French Open a few weeks prior.

Here are some moments from their second-round junior boys' doubles match against Wu Di of China and Mirza Basic of Bosnia.

Unfortunately, they lost the match, 7-5, 6-7 (3), 6-3.

Where are they now? After breaking into the top 50 two years ago, 22-year-old Harrison sits at No. 196. Cunha, a lefty, is at a career high No. 288 as he wraps up a standout college career at Duke University.

Wu, a winter training practice partner of Pospisil's down at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., is at No. 227; his career best was No. 161 in May, 2013. Basic, just outside the top 200 a year ago at this time, is currently ranked No. 355.

In 2014, as we know, Pospisil won the (grownup) doubles event, while Raonic reached the semi-finals in singles – his best Grand Slam result so far.

Certainly neither result was something anyone could have predicted back then.

As you can see, Raonic was a LOT more animated back then. But one thing hasn't changed much; his phantom racquet-throwing technique is about the same (at left, Wednesday in Paris; at right, Wimbledon 2008).

Head down. Left arm out for balance.

Of course, back then, Raonic used to do it regularly; these days, you rarely ever see it.

(If you want a little more vintage Vasek, here's some footage of him warming up veteran Frenchman Arnaud Clément for his quarter-final match. Clément is now the French Davis Cup captain).