Canadian tennis star Milos Raonic had two big events that defined his 2015 season. The Thornhill, Ont., native reached No. 4 in the ATP rankings - the highest ranking ever achieved by a Canadian singles player - and he had surgery for a nerve problem in his right foot.

The surgery created a slew of other physical issues that plagued the Canadian for months, forcing him to miss several tournaments and derailing what was shaping up to be the best year of his career.

Raonic bounced back from the injury to start the 2016 season on a positive note, beating top seed Roger Federer in the final of the Brisbane International and making a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open. Now the world No. 10 is hoping to make it even further at the second slam of the season, the French Open.

Raonic recently spoke with TSN.ca’s Mia Gordon about how he used the off-season to make improvements to his game, the French Open and how he plans to defeat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

TSN: You had a lot of success in the beginning of the season on the hard courts. How are you transitioning to the clay to get ready for the French Open?

Raonic: It’s been going well. I have been playing well on the clay. It is a little harder for me, as opposed to my competitors, because I didn’t grow up playing on clay when I was younger. So it takes me a few weeks to find my rhythm. I start playing my best around this time - Madrid, Rome, the French Open - after having a few weeks on the clay. I can start to organize my game and know what to look for from myself.

TSN: A lot of people - including Roger Federer, whom you beat in the finals of the Brisbane International earlier this year - have noticed the improvement in your movement and fitness on the court. Was that one of your main focuses this off-season? How has it helped you on the clay?

Raonic: It definitely helps me get into better position and get ahead in the points. Having better movement allows me to scrap out a few more points that I normally wouldn’t on the defensive side. But at the end of the day, if I am going to win matches and tournaments it’s by being the offensive player. I need to play an aggressive style and push my opponent around. In the off-season not much was different because of my injury last year. I maybe put a bit more emphasis on stability training. Then the rest translated into good results for me as far as fitness levels go.

TSN: You said in order to win the big tournaments you need to be the one on the offence. Something that may have surprised people this year is the fact that you are serving and volleying a lot more in tournaments. It seems you are really taking advantage of the big serve and coming in behind it. Was this a goal of yours this year?

Raonic: It wasn’t necessarily the main focus, but when I was injured I had the time to step away and ask myself what can I do better when I come back, what can I add to my game. Finding my way to the net was a big part of that. I wanted to be more efficient. So in practice I worked on that. I wanted it to become a natural movement. It meant my opponents would have something else to think about.

TSN: Your injuries last season came just as your game was peaking, reaching No. 4 in the world. You came back just as strong this year, making the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Do you think taking a step back to re-evaluate your game was almost a blessing in disguise?

Raonic: You try to make the most of every situation. Would I have been in a better place if I was healthy last year? Probably, when it comes to my current ranking. Being away did give me some benefit, and when you look at my results from the beginning of this year and the way the points have picked up, I believe at this moment I am the third-best player on the tour. It has all come together nicely and we will see how far I can push it.

TSN: It really has come together nicely. You won the Brisbane, made a semi-final appearance at the Australian Open where you beat Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round, then the finals at Indian Wells. To what do you credit the successful season so far?

Raonic: I think it’s just general improvement. I have gotten better mentally and physically. My understanding of what to do in certain situations has improved. The key goal is to improve daily and I am thankful to be doing that, and it shows. With the French Open coming up, I need to put myself in the best position to win the tournament. The tournaments before have been a great opportunity to do that.

TSN: Another change in your game is that you are playing closer to the baseline, allowing you to be even more aggressive. Take us through the off-season: What were the key points that you worked on?

Raonic: There were a few keys that I worked on. First, I worked on converting on second-serve returns. That’s where I am going to get a good look at things and where I can make a difference in hopes of breaking my opponents more. Second, I worked on mixing up my second serve. Obviously that’s where my opponents are looking to get the majority of their points on my service game. Lastly, I worked on finding a way to come in more off my return and first and second serve. After the point starts, I am looking for a way to get my opponent stretched and look for that short forehand. We worked on my defensive game. That won’t win me matches but it can help get me some critical points in a match. My golden ticket is the fact that I can be the aggressor and control the points. I want to force my opponents to have to adjust their game, not the other way around.

TSN: You have yet to beat world No. 1 Novak Djokovic. In your opinion, what is it going to take to do that?

Raonic: You have to step up and go for your shots, make him feel uncomfortable and out of rhythm. Novak likes to have long rallies and long points. It gets him into the match and helps him find his comfort zone and footing. At the end of the day, he is the best player in the world because he is so solid. If you make him feel uncomfortable, make the points shorter, and make him feel like he is always on the move, you will have your opportunities.

TSN: A few years ago when we spoke you said your number-one goal is to win a Grand Slam. Fast forward to now: Is that still your main goal?

Raonic: That’s still the number-one goal. I keep working hard toward it every day.