Upset Special: John Millman Stuns Roger Federer To Reach 2018 U.S. Open Tennis Quarters

Roger Federer of Switzerland waves to the crowd as he walks off court after losing his match against John Millman of Australia during the eighth day of the US Open Tennis Championships at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 03 September 2018. The US Open runs from 27 August through 09 September.  EPA-EFE/JASON SZENES

 

 

By Ricky Dimon

 

Before Monday, John Millman was a little-known commodity in the tennis world; well-respected by the diehards as both a tenacious fighter who was getting the most out his talent and also as one of the nice guys on tour in the locker. To the casual fan, though, he was a no-name.

 

Now, to everyone, he is John Millman: that guy who once beat Roger Federer in one of the biggest upsets in U.S. Open history.

 

That is the feat Millman accomplished during fourth-round action in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday night. The 29-year-old pulled off a 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7), 7-6(3) stunner, battling back from a set and 5-4 down with Federer serving for a two-set lead. Somehow, some way, Millman eventually picked up the biggest win of his career–by a country mile–after three hours and 35 minutes.

 

Even though Federer has more off days at 37 years old than he used to, this result came so far out of left field that it remains borderline inexplicable even to those who witnessed it. Millman was previously 0-10 lifetime against top-10 opponents and he had compiled a mere 2-4 record in between Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Federer, meanwhile, was coming off a runner-up finish in Cincinnati and he had not dropped a set through three rounds in Flushing Meadows.

 

Nothing suggested Millman had a chance.

 

“To be honest with you, coming into this tournament, my expectations were pretty low,” Millman said earlier in the tournament. “The time I thought I was going to be playing on Ashe was that practice session I had with Andy (Murray).”

 

Nope, we’re not talkin’ about practice. This was the real deal. And the good-natured Aussie didn’t just get to play an actual match against Roger Federer in Ashe, but he also won. He took down perhaps the greatest of all time on the greatest stage in tennis.

 

“Obviously it’s probably a bit of a shock to a lot of people,” Millman commented. “But, you know, that’s a great thing about tennis, that’s the great thing about sport: there’s always upsets that can happen.”

 

Federer had only good things to say about his opponent afterward. “I love his intensity,” the 20-time major champion quipped. “He reminds me of David Ferrer and those other guys [who] I admire a lot when I see them, when I see how they train, the passion they have for the game. I love his intensity.”

 

Federer already knew about Millman. Now the rest of the tennis world knows, too.

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand. You can follow him on twitter at @TennGrand.

 

Editors note • Ricky wrote a great piece here. And John Millman played some great Tennis. Great! We had spent some time talking to him and the famous dad at WIMBLEDON 2017. At the time he was being coached by fellow Aussie Mark Draper.

But where is the real ROGER FEDERER? This guy in Uniqlo looks a lot like him. But… add this to it…

As he has for much of this U.S. Open he has looked annoyed, He looks bothered, he looks “out of sorts” he looks uncomfortable… Is it like Superman missing the “S”?

Is it the fabrics. The “cut” of the clothes. The logo on wrong side of headband? Are his NIKE shoes custom Nike? Or off the shelf from a tennis store?

Was it the tiny little fan they had courtside? That did nothing… Did you see Cincy’s fans courtside to cool the players off? They were BIG FANS! Where were ice vests? How can you design a stadium with no air?  (LJ)

 

Editors note: Roger is a perfectionist. Life in 2018 is a spin for him. He says reds all match. They don’t. Even if you used the “color” guide. As the girl at my school bus stop told me weekly. Reds CLASH! (LS)

 

Andy Murray of Britain sits and stretches under an umbrella as rain starts to fall at the start of his match against Kevin Anderson of South Africa during the Western & Southern Open tennis championships at the Linder Family Tennis Center in Mason, near Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, 18 August 2016. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

 

Photographer unknown