Millman out to recreate NYC run

John Millman finds himself in a position that has become somewhat familiar as Wimbledon edges towards the end of a week of high drama.

John Millman during his second-round win over Laslo Djere of Serbia. Picture: Getty Images.

John Millman finds himself in a position that has become somewhat familiar as Wimbledon edges towards the end of a week of high drama.

Courtesy of a fine 6-3 6-2 6-1 victory over 31st seed Laslo Djere on Thursday, the 30-year-old is the last Australian male left alive at a grand slam for the second time in less than a year.

And the 30-year-old will be hoping to create a similar run to the one that unfolded in brilliant fashion at Flushing Meadows last year, where Millman famously upset Roger Federer en route to a quarter-final.

The challenge ahead is certainly tricky, with tonight’s opponent the in-form American Sam Querrey, a former semi-finalist at Wimbledon.

The pair have not played an ATP Tour level match but they did clash several times at Challenger level when Millman was making his way back from one of several injuries that threatened his career.

“Sam was just outside the top 50, I reckon, and I was coming back from shoulder surgery and that trip actually for me to California was kind of make or break,” Millman said. “I had a couple of grand left in the bank account and ended up going pretty well in some of those tournaments.

“I think I made quarters, semis, finals and Sam got the better of me in a semi and then a final, but that was back in 2014 and a bit of time has passed since then and hopefully I can turn that around.”

There is no doubt Millman is a more complete player now, boasting the conviction that he can compete with and beat the best players on tour if on song.

He played like a human brick wall against Djere, making the Serbian hit additional balls as regularly as possible until the seed’s resistance started to dip and then broke completely by the latter stages of the second set.

Millman reached the third round at Wimbledon three years ago. Breaking into the second week for the first time here would provide a level of protection for him given the significant amount of rankings points he will need to defend at the US Open in New York courtesy of the quarter-final run.

But the Australian No 4, who sits at a provisional ranking of 60, said that stress was not as daunting now as it proved in the infancy of his career. He feels confident that if he continues to do the work, good results will come, though he does want to ensure he is in a sound position to press a claim for Olympic selection.

And due to injuries that actually threatened his participation in last year’s US Open, he does not have much to defend leading into his return to New York. “I don’t normally think about that but it is in the back of your mind. To be honest with you, I just want to be playing the biggest tournaments,” he said.

“And obviously you have to have a decent ranking to do that and you have to get points, that’s the reality of the game. (But) I don’t necessarily think I’ll think about that. I’m getting a little older now and I just want to play these tournaments as much as possible before I hang them up.

“It’d be nice obviously to go on a run here at Wimbledon, and in the American hard-court swing, which I didn’t actually do until I played the US Open, I really didn’t do too much there. So look, I’ve got a bit of time to sort that out, (but) I’d love to give myself a chance to even qualify for the Olympics again. That would be something that would be really special.

“It’s very competitive, especially among the Australian boys. That’s something that’s probably in the back of my mind a little more than what’s gonna happen in a month or two’s time.”

In the meantime, Millman is going to work determinedly to ensure he sticks around long enough to continue supporting a mate who is the only other Australian singles player remaining, namely world No 1 Ash Barty.

“Obviously she’s been fantastic,” he said. “I’ve known Ash since she was a little kid and whether or not she got to world No 1 and won the French Open, she’s a special player and the sky is the limit for her and I’m just happy I can fly the Queensland flag also.”