ATP CUP

January 5, 2020

John Millman

J. MILLMAN/F. Auger-Aliassime

6-4, 6-2

Australia - 1

Canada - 0

THE MODERATOR: First question for John, please.

Q. How soon before the match did you know that you were going to be playing? How much preparation did you get?

JOHN MILLMAN: Look, not a whole lot, but you always, you always have to be ready to play. I kind of learned that actually at Davis Cup that you always got to be ready. That's why you put in a really good pre-season. I was really lucky that I got to do a little bit with Alex. He came to Australia nice and early, and I felt like I was pretty prepared. It doesn't get, it's always difficult, a late call up, but it doesn't get much easier in a difficult circumstance than when you get to play here in Brisbane, a place where you're familiar with the court and the surroundings and you know that you're going to have a vocal crowd in your corner.

Q. In your first service game you were sort of, you kind of did the pump, did that, holding serve there, did that give you a nice little belief?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, definitely, look, Felix is, first of all, we have been sprung this one-for-one, like, the four-minute warmup, I don't think too many people knew about it coming into the tournament, and apparently it's here to stay for the year, so I know that that was a bit of a talk in the locker room, that we all were a bit surprised about that. So that's a little bit different. Just getting used to that, to be honest with you.

But also Felix, I know what to expect. I played him in a really good match, actually, in Leon last year on the clay courts there. He ended up making final there and it was a really high quality match. But Felix is always going to take pretty big cuts at the ball. He's brash and he's bold and he's got a lot of confidence in his game. He likes to get that first hit away. So I knew I was going to have to fight off a fair few balls. And that first game was a bit of a wake-up call. But you also know that in the back of your mind, that it's a long match. In those conditions, it's quite heavy out there, the balls are getting chewed up really quickly, I find, so my ace count wasn't that high. But you know that you're going to have to weather some storms with Felix. He's got so much talent, but he goes through patches, I find, that where he's super on and then a couple where, you know, you're going to have those little moments, those little opportunities. So I thought I did that really well today to kind of ride those waves and to keep a pretty good level throughout the entirety of the match.

Q. You're obviously a local here in terms of the court. But you know the conditions of this city very well, humidity, the heat. Does that give you even a little bit of an edge?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, I think it's, yeah, I think it's more like the, just the familiarity of where you're playing at and of growing up here in Brisbane. And those humid conditions, what they do is the humidity actually creates heavier conditions. You feel like you can really cover the ball and really give it a good swing on that ball, and that humidity, that heavy air is going to bring it down. They're the conditions I really like to play in. So, and it's no surprise that it's what I grew up in. Everyone's, it's like playing a Spaniard over in Spain, you don't want to do it. So like I said, probably the late call up, it makes it a little bit easier here in Australia where in Brisbane where you know you're going to have the crowd, but also you're going to be very comfortable in those conditions and that's what you want, because it's not easy, actually, not quite as much preparation, but also that the first match of the season isn't tough. I really feel as if you can grow early on in the season by getting a couple of wins and kind of, we have had a couple of weeks off or in pre-season, but nothing emulates match conditions like matches. You can play all the practice sets you want, but nothing emulates those match conditions like matches. So it's really good to get that one underneath the belt. It's a good relief and I'm just happy that I could give the awesome crowd that we have got at 10 in the morning, to have nearly a packed Pat Rafter Arena, I think that's a real credit to Queensland and its supporters.

Q. I think you made a wrestle with the decision whether to stay or whether to go and play in Doha. Can you talk or can you explain your thinking behind that, and I suppose, do you feel vindicated?

JOHN MILLMAN: Not really. Look, I've been quite vocal. I love the idea of team competitions, and I love the idea of the ATP Cup and I've never necessarily criticized that because I really do enjoy these team environments. And I feel as if it's really good for tennis to be innovative and to have different types of events to engage the audience, otherwise we get a bit repetitive. But, look, I've been vocal for a year now and I'm still sticking to that, that I think the core of it, how many tournaments make up your points should be the same for everyone. You can play -- a lot of people don't understand that because they don't understand how the points system works, but you can play 30, 35 tournaments or you can play every week if you want, but it's your top 18 tournaments that count, right? This is counted as an extra tournament, as is the Masters at the end of the year. So some guys get 20, some guys get 19, some guys get 18. Now I got the win, then, I get 19 tournaments and it doesn't sit well with me. If we have a meeting at the Australian Open next week and they say, hey, guys, everyone gets the same amount of tournaments, I'll put my hand up and vote for that, regardless of getting an extra tournament now. Because I just think in essence of it I don't agree with it but that's all -- I don't have a problem with the ATP Cup whatsoever. I love being involved in the team and I love being involved in a team environment and I love how innovative we have become to try to engage more fans. I think that's awesome. And I admire Tennis Australia and the ATP for trying something new, but in essence, I think everyone should have the same amount of countable tournaments, because I just think that's unfair, and I've been saying that for a year and I still believe it, regardless of getting a win today.

Q. Firstly, how is Nick, and will he be playing against Greece, do you think?

JOHN MILLMAN: Well, you'll have to ask Nick that, mate. Look, I got notified that I was going to play, probably got a bit of practice with that from Davis Cup. And, look, I'm sure we'll have an update on Nick a little bit later on. And I don't know if he has to come in and do press or probably Rusty know as bit more than myself. So, to be honest with you, once I got told, you're playing, John, it was all eyes on Felix. Don't really want any other types of distractions. I just wanted to get on with the job. And as a third player, in the back of your mind you know that it could become a reality that you could be called up to play and that was, it was my time today. The assignment's not easy against someone like Felix. I have so much respect for him. In fact, I have so much respect for the two guys on court too. These guys are going to be on the television screens long after I've stopped playing tennis and I can't wait to see how all their careers progress. But I'm really glad I could get the win over Felix today. And I did step up because it was really tough in Davis Cup when I got that loss. I took that loss pretty hard and it ate at me throughout the pre-season. I thought about that a lot and I was on holiday and I didn't enjoy my holiday too much because I was probably thinking about that. So I'm really glad, I feel like it was a missed opportunity in Madrid, but somewhat just a slight bit vindicated with my performance today.

Q. I was going to ask that, you know, Davis Cup, Nick out, Nick out today, Canada, Canada today, was that going through your mind?

JOHN MILLMAN: A bit of déjà vu, yeah. Yeah, look, like I said, I don't know, I don't know. It probably wouldn't happen too often, to be honest with you, but it has for me. And I was really enthusiastic about the prospect of turning the tables, especially in front of a home crowd. I can't thank the Queensland support that I've gotten not just at this tournament, but throughout my career. I played in a golf day just before Chrissy. And the Queensland tennis community, they get behind their players and they get behind each and every one of us, and I think that that's really special. I've always felt that that was the case here in Queensland for a long time. As long as I've been playing we're one big family up here and that's why I like playing here so much, because you look out in the crowd and you see a few different people that you might not have seen for awhile, but they have been with you every step of that journey, from junior tennis all the way up to now and that what makes playing here so special.

Q. On a day like today, how important is the habit of eating bananas, your nutrition during the match, kind of managing your energy and all that stuff during the match specifically?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, I left my secret little thing, I actually left them at home. But yeah, the conditions, it's actually kind of nice playing under the roof at Pat Rafter Arena. It's not quite as hot but I've been doing most of my training outside in the heat, so probably a little bit more of a relief underneath the shaded court there. But it really is important. You're losing a lot of fluids. So being in Queensland, I love my bananas, obviously, and I've been criticized about how I eat them, but they go down all right. And it's just important to go through your routines and know what works for you. And I haven't really had, touch wood, I haven't had too many problems in the past with my nutrition and how my body reacts in these conditions. You're always going to feel it sometimes. But what you do is you control what you can control and that's what I try to do. And hopefully, you've done the hard work, and you look after the nutrition side, and you do the hard work off the court, and you do your physical work, and hopefully it combines for a successful season in summer, and in some of the trickiest conditions that we play throughout the year.

Q. How significant and how beneficial has it been having Lleyton in your camp and what has it brought to your game today?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I love having Lleyton in the corner. I grew up watching a lot of Pat and I grew up watching a lot of Lleyton and I've been lucky enough, when Lleyton finished his playing career that he stepped into that Davis Cup role and now the ATP Cup role. You won't find someone that's more passionate about tennis than Lleyton. And I admired so much his game and his tenacity, and what he showed on the court is exactly how he is off the court. He's tenacious and he's got that never say die attitude that we will have as Australians and he's someone that, I guess the best way to describe it is, he's someone that when you go out you look over to the box and you see him giving you a bit of a fist pump, you know he's in your corner. And that's what's so great about these team competitions is that you can draw upon legends like that and also the support staff. They play every shot with us out there and that's what makes these team competitions so unique and special.

Q. You said you've been criticized for how you eat bananas?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, yeah, I'm a nibbler. Yeah, I'm nibbler. I don't know. I just saw it on, I don't know I was playing somewhere this year and, maybe even in Tokyo, and someone took pity on me nibbling a banana. I don't know, I guess I don't like massive chunks, you know, because I feel like I have to chew so much, so yeah, I nibble a banana. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. There's a video somewhere. There's someone who was poking fun at me, that's the Aussie way, isn't it, a good bit of banter. If that's one of my worst traits, then I can live with that.

Q. Is this something on social media or something?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, yeah, everyone has an opinion, don't they, on social media, myself included. So, yeah, it's all a bit of banter. I won't take too much offense to that. I caught a little bit in the change room. I think someone put that on Tennis TV and I think maybe Tommy Paul, one of the Americans, was giving me a hard time, but that's all, a good bit of banter. We like that.

Q. Did the family have time to get here to watch you?

JOHN MILLMAN: I think my auntie might have caught the ball at the end that I signed, I reckon. Yeah, I reckon she did. Yeah, she played football, soccer for Australia, and obviously, still got a bit of that sporting genes in her body, because I think she took a selfie out there. Joanne Millman, yeah, yeah, my auntie. So, yeah, look, I think if you -- I don't get quite as many tickets to the ATP Cup as I did at the Brisbane International, which is a bit of a bummer, because I could definitely fill the stadium. I had a bit of the, I think the people, obviously, the support staff here at the Brisbane International knew that I can fill up half the stadium, I reckon. I've got quite a big family so you don't get quite as many tickets. John Peers, I think, for a Victorian, uses too many of our team's tickets up. He does. I mean, how does he know eight people, seriously, here in Queensland? But look, maybe after I got that win, I'll get a bit more respect from Peersy and maybe I'll get a few more tickets.

Q. The banana story one more time. Andy Murray once described a banana as a pathetic fruit. Being in Queensland you surely want show your defense of the industry.

JOHN MILLMAN: I mean, Andy is, he's from Scotland, mate. I mean, you should see some of the food they eat up there. I mean, geez, haggis? I tried some of that and that's, that stuff's rotten. It's like rotten meat. So, look, fresh banana, I don't know, there's nothing better.

Q. Sam was here before. I think with the timing of the two events there's some chance that Ash might end up not being in Pat Rafter Arena for her first match. Obviously, she's a local as well, No 1 --

JOHN MILLMAN: Superstar.

Q. Is that a bit unfortunate?

JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, it is unfortunate. I think it's something that we can probably look onto in the future. I don't mind actually playing on the outdoor courts. I think our outdoor courts are really good. Maybe it's something that we can look to in the future where we can maybe combine the use of center court. I have no problem with that. I think they get a great field here at the Brisbane International. It's a testament to the tournament. Having said that, I think that she will probably do well out there. She's a great player. And, yeah, she can, she can, she, I reckon she can play on any court and she will have success. She's pretty special. So look, it's something that probably has to be addressed, and I'll play on court 13. As long as it's here in Brisbane, I don't care where I play. So and 13 is the furthest one away. But, yeah, it will be something that could be probably addressed where you get a bit more of a time. Share unfortunately, we don't have two stadiums, but we spent all the money on a roof in Sydney and we should have just bought a new stadium over here. And maybe I'll suggest that to the bigwigs down in Melbourne.

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