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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2020

John Millman

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

J. MILLMAN/U. Humbert

7-6, 6-3, 1-6, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had be absolutely thrilled with that, I imagine?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, really happy. Never easy these Grand Slam matches. Physical match out there today. Ugo Humbert I think is one for the future. You're going to see a lot of him.

He's one of the form players coming into this tournament, winning Auckland, and played some really good tennis. Some of the guys he beat, if you look at some of the guys he beat there, it was a really impressive week for him.

I knew it was going to be a tricky encounter, but really happy to extend my stay here at Melbourne Park.

Q. You really fought hard to turn the momentum your way. Can you tell us how you did that throughout the match?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, I think I had a pretty crucial hold, I reckon. At 2-1 in the first set, I reckon it was probably about a 20-minute hold.

Yeah, there were some moments where it wasn't easy. I think that first set was really crucial, because it was quite physical. I don't know how long it went for, but it felt like it was well over an hour.

In best-of-five set matches when you play such a physically, you know, demanding first set and you get, you win that, it's kind of like a body blow, I think. Mentally that really helps you out, and I thought you could see that with him. I thought his level dropped off a tiny bit in that second set. And then he turned it on its head and it became a bit of a dog fight again.

Look, I was really happy with, you know, the application I showed throughout the match. Like I said, I knew it was going to be a tough one, but happy to get over the line in the end, yeah.

Q. I have watched you in so many of these lengthy matches in the slams over the years. Do you particularly relish it when it gets kind of physical?
JOHN MILLMAN: Oh, man, I'd rather win in 90 minutes, for sure. I'd rather win quicker (smiling). Unfortunately, that's the type of tennis that, you know, I have built a brand on. I try to bring physicality. I try to bring toughness, mental and physical toughness, when I go out there and play tennis.

I think people know that about me. They know that, you know, I'm not going to go away. And that's just my brand of tennis.

Look, I'd love to go out there and win super-quick points. That's just not how I'm built. And, you know, I think I can take a bit of pride in how I go about my business, too. I try to leave absolutely everything out there, win or lose.

You know, it's done well for me across my career, so there are definitely memorable ones. And now it's all about recovery, you know. It's a quick turnaround for me now because of the weather yesterday, as it is for, you know, my opponent. But it's all about recovery now, trying to get the body as good as possible to get ready to fight again.

Q. Tsitsipas mentioned yesterday about the fans and behaving like they're at the soccer more than the tennis. How do you feel about that type of support? Do you like it? You certainly had the crowd obviously on your side today.
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I love, you know, a vocal crowd. I think the energy -- you know, I like feeding off the crowd's energy. I need that, like we touched on. I try to bring that physicality, and sometimes you need that little bit of motivation on the sidelines.

I love the crowd support that I get. I love playing on that court, actually, in show Court 3. I have had some really good moments there. And, you know, the more rowdy they are, the drunker they are, the better (smiling).

I reckon, I don't know who the sponsors are this week, it used to be Jacobs Creek. It might say. I don't know. I know that the Chinese one's a really strong alcohol, so let's feed the crowd. I don't encourage binge drinking, guys, so please don't quote me on that.

Look, the Australian Open, it's not just a tennis event now. It should be an entertainment event. I think our organizers have done an incredible job to not just make it a tennis spectacle. And we are an entertainment business and we've got to get people from all walks of life through the gates and appreciating tennis and all the other things.

I love it. I use the crowd. I love the support that I get here in Melbourne. It makes the matches really memorable and worthwhile.

Q. Can I ask you, John Coates, the head of the Australian Olympic Committee, made some comment today that sounded like having Nick Kyrgios play at the Olympics in Tokyo, obviously a bit of issues there with the Olympic Committee and Nick in 2016. Would you like to see him playing for Australia in Tokyo?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I can't really comment on what happened four years ago and all the, I don't know, what was happening there.

But, you know, Nick's played Davis Cup, he's played ATP Cup for the country, he's right now obviously, he's in a position where he qualifies for the team.

I don't know Mr. Coates, but I don't see why you'd be able to not let him go to the Olympic Games. He deserves it just as much as anyone else.

Yeah. I don't think I'll have much of a say on it, but if Coatesie wants my opinion, that's it.

Q. Obviously the focus has to be on your second-round opponent, but can you afford to look a little further ahead, given what happened at the US Open a couple of years ago and Roger Federer?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, it would be nice to have another encounter with Roger, but I'm under no illusion, this next match is going to be an absolute tough one. It's going to be really tough.

Hurkacz, I've played a lot with Hubert. He's someone that we're going to really start, I think families are going to start remembering his name because he's exponentially improving at a massive rate right now. He's one of the ones you're going to be seeing on your screens deep in tournaments well into the future.

It's going to be an extremely tough match tomorrow. If I can get through it, I'd love -- you know, you want to be playing the best players in the world and you want to be playing on the biggest courts, win or lose. You know, they're the ones that the people want to ask you about, and they're the ones that, you know, you tell a few stories about when you finish playing tennis.

But right now, I know it's cliché and probably not what you want to hear, but, yeah, this next match is going to be an absolute -- it's going to be really tough. I'm going to do everything I can to get through that, to extend my stay here and to extend my tournament, perhaps give myself a chance to play one of the big boys.

Right now, yeah, Hurkacz is big enough for me.

Q. What are your goals for the year?
JOHN MILLMAN: Yeah, look, I'd like to -- obviously you want to be reaching career highs. I'd love to knock that off. I think I'm in a position to do that.

The other things, you know, capitalizing on maybe some draws or whatever at Grand Slams. You know, you want to be making runs at the biggest tournaments of the year. They're pretty enjoyable things to do.

Represent my country, whether that be in Davis Cup, ATP Cup now, and the Olympic Games. I think that they are the pinnacles of our sport. I think that's what gets you out of bed each day to work.

Look, it's not necessarily a set number or a set figure. But, you know, if I can do well in some Grand Slams, if I can represent my country, they are the big things for me. In doing so, hopefully that ranking kind of takes care of itself, and you can maybe reach a career high. That would be pretty fun.

Q. You touched briefly on show Court 3. It's been a court you played a lot of matches on over the years and won a lot of matches on. I actually heard a group of people in front of me it should be renamed the John Millman Arena. Where does it rank up there with one of your favorite courts?
JOHN MILLMAN: It's a ripper court. Still one of my favorite matches I've ever played there was against Gilles Muller. I think I won 7-5 in the fifth. Muller probably was at the peak of his game during that time.

The atmosphere that was created then, it was a bit of a twilight match there, and the atmosphere that was created then, it's something that -- you know, I have been very lucky to play all over the world in some massive venues. I have played on all the big courts now. That match still is one of my favorite matches I have ever played on.

And a big part of that is because of the court and the people that were at that match. You know, they were, like I said, it was probably well into the day. Everyone's had probably a couple of bevies, and it was rowdy and it was a lot of fun.

So it's a ripper court. I thought toady the atmosphere was great. I can't emphasize enough how much their energy lifts you. That was a physical match today. The energy out there from the Australians, it makes me very proud to be Australian.

I just hope that, you know, they enjoy watching me, and I just hope I give them, you know, a reason to cheer. Because they come out there and they're there to support you, and I think that's actually quite humbling. It's a pretty special feeling.

Q. Were you aware today that Ugo might have been suffering some blister issues or feet issues, changing shoes or whatever? As an opponent, are you aware of that and sense his vulnerability there?
JOHN MILLMAN: I saw him call the trainer, but not really. You know, blisters, I don't think it's gonna put you out too much, you know. Obviously you just try and stay on top of them, because, you know, they can be a little bit painful. But I don't think there was anything too major.

He's obviously just played a lot of tennis, and, you know, his feet are a bit raw, as are us all. You know, when you're sweating in your feet, that happens.

So not really. I don't think it's a massive deal, and I don't think it stopped him that much. I thought it was a pretty high quality match and I thought he was moving actually pretty well.

That's part of tennis, too. That's part of sport. It's a physical game, and hopefully you do all that preparation right to be the most physically prepared, and that's a big part of the game.

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