John Millman comes up against a brick wall during shutdown

With the tennis circuit on hiatus thanks to the coronavirus crisis, Davis Cup star John Millman has to be creative to stay in shape.

Tennis star John Millman says it is the uncertainty that makes this crisis so difficult. Picture: Getty Images

With the tennis circuit in hiatus thanks to the coronavirus crisis, Davis Cup star John Millman has to be creative to stay in shape.

His potential hitting partner is almost a like-for-like for the world No 43. A consistent ball striker with superb court coverage, except this player never misses. Ever.

The rival that may become the 30-year-old’s practice partner is based in the Brisbane suburb of Carindale and is called The John Millman Rebound Wall.

With courts locked down and gymnasiums closed, tennis players are having to improvise when training during a tour shutdown likely to extend beyond Wimbledon.

“I am set up a little more permanently now because it looks like it will be ongoing, so I have a space where I can work out now,” Millman told The Weekend Australian.

“I am still going to get out there and ride a bike, if I can, while following the government’s guidelines, and in terms of hitting, I’m trying to use private courts where I can.

“And there is the wall there in Carindale, near where I grew up, which was a great honour, so I might have to check that out, though I am not sure I will be allowed to for long.”

The 30-year-old was riding high and looking forward to a prosperous 2020 just three weeks ago when he landed in California.

He opened the year with a win over world No 20 Felix Auger-Aliassime in Brisbane and is unbeaten from four singles matches for Australia in the ATP and Davis Cups.

Millman also reached a quarter-final of the New Zealand Open and was within two points of defeating Roger Federer in an epic third round at the Australian Open.

But on arriving in California on March 9 to play at Indian Wells, the tournament was cancelled and there has been a domino effect since that shows no signs of abating.

The challenges for Millman, and other players, are mental, physical and financial.

Millman, who is 10 spots shy of his career-high ranking, is well-versed in spending time on the sidelines after overcoming career-threatening injuries on two occasions.

But this is more testing mentally, he says, with the uncertainty a test of his motivation.

“I have come back from injuries where I have had 12 to 13 months off, but the tour was still going on and it was something to aim for,” he says.

“There is so much uncertainty as to when we are going to be back playing. That is quite difficult for us. Not knowing when that end goal will be, that is a challenge for us.”

The physical challenges are self-evident and some players will be better positioned to return than others. Those fortunate enough to access private courts are able to maintain their on-court fitness and form.

Trying to do so without access to courts or practice partners is harder, so too mimicking the physical strain that comes with each session involving hitting.

“The key thing for me is to do what I can to keep my eye in,” Millman said.

“There is not going to be an ideal environment to keep that level up, to keep my fitness level and strength up, but I do want to keep my eye in for when we flatten the curve, for when we get closer to returning.”

There is also a financial impact for players and other tour members. Players around the world have called for assistance from their federations during the current shutdown.

While the superstars of the sport are incredibly wealthy, players ranked outside the top 100 struggle to break even with the travel costs.

Millman has enjoyed some strong seasons in recent years, which includes a win over Federer in his run to the 2018 US Open quarter-finals, but says that expenses including coaching, travel and accommodation rapidly eat away at what might seem like substantial earnings at first glance.

The Australian star is also well aware of the financial hardship being faced by a large portion of the tennis community, including lower-ranked players and club coaches who are trying to eke out a living.

“I really do feel for some of the players, like I do for everyday Australians, whether it is the club coaches, whether it is players, it is a really tricky time for the our community and it is trying,” he says.