John Millman Q&A: Retiring Australian reflects on tennis career

John Millman’s career is nearing the end, so ROBERT CRADDOCK asked him to recap some of the people and moments that left the deepest impression on him.

John Millman. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

John Millman has slept at train stations, beaten the world’s most popular tennis player and seen most things in between.

The popular Brisbane-based slugger who has seen the game from all angles is entering the last weeks of his 15-year professional career this week as he attempts to qualify for the Australian Open in Melbourne.

His singles career is confirmed as done and dusted after a heartbreaking loss in qualifying on Thursday night.

It’s been quite a journey for Millman, 34, who famously beat Roger Federer in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open which gave him a career high of ranking of 33 in the world.

“It’s probably hasn’t quite hit home just yet (that this is the end) but the nerves are starting to build a bit,’’ Millman said.

Thank you, John 💙

An Aussie favourite’s singles career has come to an end at #AO2024 👇https://t.co/QzmuiaZPyD

— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) January 11, 2024

“Mum and dad will be there which will be special because mum did not see me play much because she always felt nervous. It’s time. My body is just hanging on and I am ready for whatever is next, whatever that may be.

“In the overall scheme of things qualifying at the Australian Open isn’t the biggest thing but this week it becomes the biggest thing.’’

We asked Millman to take us inside his career to nominate the people and moments who left the deepest impression on him.

John Millman is closing in on retirement. Picture: Mark Brown/Getty Images

BIGGEST INTIMIDATOR: Rafa (Nadal). I didn’t match up well against him but just his intensity. Even walking on the court he was jumping around like a man possessed. That very first ball he hits in the warm up is as hard as any he hits all night. Even when you were at the net volleying in the warm-ups I deliberately only ever faced one or two because he would be trying to dominate you.

SOMETHING ABOUT NADAL WE DIDN’T KNOW: If you are looking for Rafa during a tournament he sets up his little table with the dice and pulls out this game called parcheesi which you might have played when you were six years old. He gets his team around and plays with typical Rafa intensity.

CRAZIEST PLACE I SLEPT: One of the places I regret – and each time I did it I said would be the last – is Milan train station in Italy. I never felt too safe. One time I stayed at Barcelona airport and wrapped my bags around me and got rudely awakened by Manchester United fans at 2am coming in after getting a draw with Barcelona. That was quite funny.

Serena Williams argues with chair umpire Carlos Ramos during the 2018 US Open Women's Final. Pictuure: Kena Betancur / AFP

BEST UMPIRE: (Portugal’s) Carlos Ramos. I always liked chatting to him but I really respected him after he stood up for the rules of tennis. He copped a lot of criticism in America for standing up to on-court coaching which was not allowed back then. (Patrick) Mouratoglou was coaching Serena Williams and he called her out. He was in the pressure cooker but I felt he showed a lot of grace and humility.

BEST BACKHAND: Novak Djokovic. That trademark sliding wide backhand was just so hard to play through.

TO MAKE A SOLID LIVING ON THE TOUR YOU NEED TO BE: Top 100 otherwise you are doing it pretty tough.

BEST TOURNAMENT OUTSIDE MAJORS: Being from Brisbane I should say the Brisbane International but I have to say Queens. That centre court is really special. You feel this history and they are the purest grass courts in the world.

MOST POPULAR PLAYER AMONG PEERS: Right now, probably (Italy’s) Jannik Sinner. People want to see him do well. Very humble. I’m probably biased because he is one of my favourite players.

BEST COMMENTATOR: An honourable mention to Jim Courier and I am a racing man so I love Bruce McAvaney on Seven. Purely tennis I would say South Africa’s Robbie Koenig who has some iconic calls like “he is moving like a mongoose on amphetamines”. He brings entertainment to tennis.

SOMETHING ABOUT FEDERER WE DIDN’T KNOW?

He loves a joke. In the rooms in Brisbane every now and then he or his team would let out a “quack”. I walked behind him in the room and he thought I was a member of his team and he let out a big “quack’’ then realised it was me and was embarrassed. He’s a bit of a joker.

John Millman reflects on his interactions with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal during his career. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

BEST FOREHAND: The one I struggled the most with was Nadal. Just so heavy and being left-handed he could get it so easily up to my backhand which made me really uncomfortable. You felt like you were in a boxing match. He just pushed you so far back.

BEST SERVE: Nick Kyrgios has a great serve but the one when I walked off the court I just couldn’t get over was (Canada’s) Milos Raonic at Wimbledon. He nearly put me into the stands. I went up to near the baseline and he put one through me which nearly made me fall over.

THE BEST SHOT I EVER SAW: If you are talking about a signature shot I would say the elegance of the one-handed Federer forehand was something else. He was such a pretty player.

As far as an individual shot was concerned it was 4-3 in the fifth set of Nadal-Federer final of the Australian Open. It was a 26-shot side-to-side rally and Roger produced a running forehand down the line which was out of this world. It’s the shot players talk to each other at breakfast about.

Millman celebrates victory over Gilles Muller at the Australian Open in 2016. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

MY FAVOURITE WIN: It was a second round win at the Australian Open in 2016 and it was the first time I had got over the edge on five sets. I was 7-5 against Gilles Muller and the crowd was really rocking. I remember in the fifth set the crowd was really rocking at 6-5 and the crowd started doing a Johnny Millman chant. I was so jacked up I knew I would break him.

MOST UNDERRATED PLAYER: (Spain’s) David Ferrer stands out. He got to three in the world and got every single morsel out of his game. I really looked up to him. The ultimate professional. I remember watching him in the gym before his last game and he was going through the most rigorous workout I have ever seen. If I could sign a contract to have his career I would be bringing out the felt-tipped pen.

IF I STARTED ALL OVER I WOULD: Believe in myself earlier. That’s like a lot of people. I was my own toughest critic. If I had believed in myself earlier I would have broken though earlier.

Originally published as John Millman Q&A: Retiring Australian reflects on tennis career