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U.S. OPEN

September 3, 2018

John Millman

New York, NY, USA

J. MILLMAN/R. Federer

3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When did you understand it was actually possible for you to pull off the win?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I always was of the opinion that I was in the fourth round for a reason. I've never played anyone's reputation. That's been a constant with me for, you know, ever since I played the game. Because I think if you do that, then you start behind the eight ball straightaway.

I started to find my feet a little bit I think in that second set when he served for it. I managed to break back. Yeah, started to get a lot more comfortable in the surroundings because it's a different environment out there. It was a slightly intimidating environment. At the start I don't think I was playing so well.

But, yeah, as the match went on, I felt more comfortable, felt pretty good.

Q. What has the reaction been like from people in your box?
JOHN MILLMAN: I haven't seen much of them, to be honest with you. Just jumped in the ice bath. Obviously my phone, I'm getting inundated with messages.

Yeah, look, I think a lot of people back home are incredibly proud. The people in the box are incredibly proud with me. Yeah, it's extremely satisfying. I'm just glad, you know, I took the chance today.

Q. How do you come down from this and get some sleep tonight, obviously prepare again for another all-time great?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, I'm not totally sure. The people behind the scenes, I just came back from physio, I'm going to get a massage after this, just really try to get my body right. Obviously sleep's a big thing there. I have a draft tomorrow, too, I'm going to participate in. I'm a commissioner, I should.

No, in all honesty, this is a little bit new to me, a quarterfinal of a Grand Slam. It's very new. I'm just trying to just keep to those routines that I've been doing. It's a late finish, but I'll try to get plenty of sleep, have a bit of a light hit tomorrow afternoon, get the body in good order.

Q. Do you have the same belief you can beat Novak and make the semifinal of a slam?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, why not? Again, I'll have to improve a lot on the last time I played him. He's an incredible player. I think he's in some really good form right now, too.

Yeah, but why not? I think it's a disservice to who I am if I go out there and don't have that belief.

Q. What was the experience like with Roger? Did that help you at all to have that practice time with him?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, in all honesty, Roger's a hero of mine. I look up to him. I really like his team. He's always been, you know, one of the guys in the locker rooms, we'll always chat, very approachable. He's a hero of mine.

I don't know. I felt a little bit guilty today because he didn't have his best day, and that's for sure. I know that. I'm very aware he didn't have a great day in the office. Probably to beat him I needed him to have an off day and I needed to have a decent, good day.

But, you know, he's a hero of mine. But in previous matches gone by, not just with him, but back home in Brissy, I know there's a few Australian journalists here, I've always accounted myself pretty well. Even in some slightly bigger matches that I've played, I've always felt as if I've done a good job of not letting the moment get the better of me.

Q. Given his career and yours, how unlikely would you describe tonight's result?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, obviously it's probably a bit of a shock to a lot of people. But, you know, that's a great thing about tennis, that's the great thing about sport: there's always upsets that can happen. I would have dearly liked to have taken my chance when I played him in Brisbane a few years ago. That kind of played on my mind a little bit going into this match.

But yeah, look, like I said, I'm very aware that Roger didn't have his best day. I know that. Like I said, I have so much respect for him, what he's done for the game. Yeah, our career paths are slightly different, but I'll enjoy this moment.

Q. No matter what happens in the rest of your career, how do you think you'll remember tonight?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, hopefully I create a few more memories. I'll obviously remember this for a long, long time. I hope the people who are watching here and back home remember it, too. I think that's all part of tennis, sharing the experiences with those close to you.

Yeah, look, it's extremely special. But, yeah, hopefully I haven't got a bullet in me yet, I can create a few more moments in my career.

Q. How nice it with the week that Alex had, 10 years younger than you, nice that two Australian players are making the headlines back in Australia?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, for sure. For sure. I think Alex was incredible against Marin. I think Alex has had an unbelievable year. It's been a real treat for me to see him grow. I remember him not so long ago being a bit of a hitting partner, a bit of an orange boy at the Davis Cup tie in Sydney. Just to see where he's come from. Speaking to someone the other day, I genuinely think that he's destined for great things.

Hopefully I get to spend a bit of time with him next week. I have so much time for Alex. Looking forward, as we all are, to see how his career continues to progress.

Q. I understand you struggled quite dramatically with injuries, particularly the shoulder. How much work tennis-wise did it take for you to play a match of this level?
JOHN MILLMAN: Definitely. A couple of shoulder surgeries, a groin surgery. Not so easy. With that you have to start all over again. That's challenging. It's challenging financially. It's challenging physically. It's challenging mentally. Yeah, it's tough to start all over again a few times.

But, you know, you do it. And you do all those moments in rehab, you do all that for something like this. It all becomes a little bit more rewarding. I'm just incredibly lucky that I've had a great group of people, not just in tennis, but friends and family back home who have helped me stay positive and stay upbeat because there were plenty of moments where I was pretty negative and down on myself.

You're only as strong as the people you got behind you. During those injuries it becomes really apparent just how much you lean on them. Managed to bounce back a few times. Hopefully no more. That would be nice.

Q. The first question to Roger tonight was, What went wrong? He almost had a one word answer: the heat. What was it like? Was it affecting you?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, it was extremely humid out there. I'm not usually much of a sweater. I mean, I was dripping. It was really humid out there today.

Q. Ungodly?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, it just wasn't so easy. The conditions for the majority of this tournament has been pretty brutal. I found it pretty tough early on to hold onto the racquet. It's kind of moving around in your hands.

Q. Breathing?
JOHN MILLMAN: I was all right. Look, I was fine in terms of breathing. It's just probably more just the sweat, there's so much sweat. Not easy. As the match went on, I probably became a little bit more comfortable. Yeah, in the end hopefully use it to my advantage.

Q. Would it be fair to say watching your face and eyes on the monitors that you felt you were in some sort of a zone on court?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I felt very comfortable as the match went on. I can't really remember a time when I was nervous or letting the moment get the better of me. Really just kind of playing each point. I wasn't letting my mind kind of run away with me a little bit.

After the start, immediately at the start, I was deer in the headlights a little bit. It's a different environment. But as the match went on, I felt very comfortable in terms of my mental state. Felt very relaxed. That obviously helped me tonight.

Q. Hungary Open you and Marco played, you were lucky loser.
JOHN MILLMAN: I wasn't a lucky loser.

Q. Do you think that was the first you came back and can climbing on the rank list?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, but I wasn't lucky loser. Marco was. He ended up beating me.

Yeah, look, I actually have great memories of Budapest. Beautiful city. That probably gave me a lot of confidence this year. First of all, gave me a lot of confidence that I was playing some good tennis on clay, put together a pretty good season. That kind of probably kickstarted quite an important swing: the French Open, Wimbledon. An extremely important one. Making my first tour final, playing some good tennis along the way definitely kind of spurred me on in the right direction, definitely.

In terms of place, I love it. I can't speak highly enough of it.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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