John Millman’s path to Brisbane International an easier one following US Open heroics

BRISBANE’S John Millman says he would welcome the physical challenge of confronting a third member of the Big Four if drawn against Rafael Nadal at his home tournament in Brisbane.

Australian tennis pro John Millman (front) with We the People fan club and supporters including the captain Gareth Fletcher (right, captain's hat) during a Davis Cup tie. Mr Fletcher, who has spent more than $100k flying around the world cheering on Aussie tennis players

BRISBANE’S John Millman says he would welcome the physical challenge of confronting the “unimaginable force’’ of Rafael Nadal should he play a third member of the Big Four of men’s tennis at his home city tournament this summer.

The Australian No.2 vowed to produce the lofty standard of tennis that stunned Roger Federer at the US Open this month when he proudly plays the Brisbane International for the first time as a direct entry.

On Tuesday Millman became the second player to confirm an entry for the Brisbane International from December 31-January 6, joining world No.1 Nadal.

John Millman (front) with We the People fan club and supporters during a Davis Cup tie.

The 29-year-old Queenslander’s rise in the rankings to No.37 with his win over Federer to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open means that for the first time he will not need a wildcard or have to qualify for a Brisbane International.

The seeds of that boilover win in New York were watered at Pat Rafter Arena when Millman took Federer to three sets at the 2015 Brisbane International and also extended two-time major champion Andy Murray to three sets at Pat Rafter Arena in 2013.

“It’s a feeling of achievement for me to play my home tournament off my own bat,’’ Millman said from Germany, where he is assessing the recovery of a torn muscle near his hip.

“It would be brilliant to play Rafa at one of my favourite courts. I have a tradition of being drawn to play a star at the Brisbane International in the second round – I hope I’d play him a little later and go on a run in my home tournament.

It was a fun day in Graz. The boys put in a great shift. Enjoyed being called up to the bench. @lleytonhewitt @johnwpeers #DavisCup #Australia #Austria 📷: @AusTennisTalks pic.twitter.com/XbfJ4J9mYp

— John Millman (@johnhmillman) September 15, 2018

“I’ve played a fair few of the big guys now, but if I could liken playing Rafa, as I did at Wimbledon (in a straight-sets loss last year), to anything it was like a boxing match, just relentless abuse. It was a constant physical battle, every ball, every point, with this unimaginable force. He’s a machine.’’

Millman, who did not play a match for a beaten Australian Davis Cup tie in Austria last weekend, came out of his US Open quarter-final run with a muscle tear near a hip.

If the injury does not improve in the next few days, he said he would probably withdraw from next week’s ATP tournament he has entered in Chengdu, China.

“If it looks like it will keep me out, then I’ll probably start again in Tokyo (from October 1),’’ he said.

Australia's John Millman (R) shakes hands with Switzerland's Roger Federer after defeating him during their 2018 US Open Men's Singles tennis match. Picture: AFP

Millman said he would have played a fifth rubber with pain killers if Australia had first not been eliminated from the tie.

The Queenslander took only eight months to achieve a goal for 2018 to break into the top 50 for the first time.

“I have some ranking points to defend toward the end of the year, but after I ticked off the top 50 box the next step is getting a seed at a Grand Slam,’’ he said.

“That is top 32, so I’m getting close now.’’

Millman said he had been “a little embarrassed’’ with the support he received from Australians over his Federer win.

“It’s been a little overwhelming purely because I didn’t necessarily expect such a big reaction,’’ he said.

“I’ve never really done the sport for plaudits because I love playing and competing. I’m just hoping I can build off this and create a few more moments in the remaining years of my career.’’

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Originally published as John Millman’s path to Brisbane International an easier one following US Open heroics