John Millman

1.1. Early Life and Education

John H. Millman was born on 14 June 1989, in Brisbane, Australia. He grew up in a family of five children, with four older sisters, making him the second youngest. Millman began playing tennis at the age of four. During his schooling years, he attended Brisbane Grammar School before transferring to the Anglican Church Grammar School. Outside of tennis, he enjoys soccer and is a supporter of Liverpool F.C. in the English Premier League. In January 2019, Millman received the OLY post-nominal title at the Brisbane International tournament, recognizing his participation in the Olympic Games.

1.2. Junior Career and Professional Debut

Millman made his ITF junior tournament debut as a 15-year-old in Darwin in 2004, reaching the quarterfinals. His junior Grand Slam debut came at the 2006 Australian Open. He secured his first junior tournament victory in June 2006 at an event in Nouméa, New Caledonia. He continued this success by winning his next two tournaments consecutively, held in Fiji and New Zealand, bringing his total junior titles to three. He concluded his junior career at the 2007 Australian Open and turned professional in 2006.

2.1. Early Professional Years (2008-2012)

Millman officially began his professional tennis journey in 2008. That year, he won the F8 Futures tournament in Australia, was a runner-up at an F1 event in Romania, and reached the semi-finals of a Morocco F5 tournament. In 2009, Millman continued his success on the junior circuit, reaching the final of an F2 tournament in Bulgaria and achieving three semi-final appearances across Italy and Bulgaria. During this year, he sustained a back injury while training with the Australian junior Davis Cup team, but despite this setback, he improved his career ranking from near 1,000 to the 300s. This improvement was aided by a semi-final performance at a Challenger tournament in Burnie, Tasmania, a Futures event victory in Kalgoorlie against Matthew Ebden, and reaching the second round of qualifying at the 2009 Australian Open.

In 2010, Millman received a wildcard entry into his hometown tournament, the 2010 Brisbane International, where he was drawn against the defending champion Radek Štěpánek and lost in straight sets. He reached the final round of qualifying at the 2010 Australian Open, losing to Illya Marchenko. In February, he secured his third Futures title on grass in Berri, South Australia, defeating Greg Jones. By September, he claimed his fourth Futures title in Darwin, Northern Territory. A significant milestone occurred in October when he won his first Challenger title in Sacramento, California, defeating Robert Kendrick.

The 2011 season saw Millman again awarded a wildcard into the 2011 Brisbane International main draw, where he lost to fellow Australian Matt Ebden. He competed in Sydney and Australian Open qualifying, falling in the second round of both. He then played in Challenger events across Asia, Australia, and Europe until injuring his shoulder during an Italian Futures tournament in April. He continued to play despite the injury, losing in the first round of Wimbledon Championships qualifying. Following this loss, he returned to Australia and did not compete again until 2012.

At the start of 2012, Millman utilized his protected ranking to enter the 2012 Brisbane International qualifying tournament. He successfully won three matches to qualify for the main draw but lost in the first round to Santiago Giraldo. He then competed in Australian Open qualifying but was eliminated in the first round by Vasek Pospisil. After a year of mixed results on the Futures and Challenger circuits, Millman secured his first title in over two years in Bendigo, defeating Ben Mitchell in the final. He concluded 2012 ranked World No. 199.

2.2. Injuries and Breakthrough to Top 100 (2013-2015)

The period between 2013 and 2015 was a challenging yet transformative time for Millman, marked by significant injuries and a determined climb into the world's top 100.

Millman started 2013 impressively at the 2013 Brisbane International, winning three qualifying matches to reach the main draw. He achieved his first ever ATP Tour win against Tatsuma Ito in the first round, and in the second round, he faced then-world No. 3 Andy Murray, losing in a competitive three-set match. His performance in Brisbane earned him a main draw wildcard into the 2013 Australian Open, marking his debut in the home Grand Slam. There, he played a five-set epic against Tatsuma Ito, ultimately losing despite having previously defeated him. Following the tournament, Millman expressed his ambition to break into the top 100 by the end of the year. He received another wildcard into the 2013 Apia International Sydney, defeating Tommy Robredo before losing to Andreas Seppi in three sets.

However, a major setback occurred in March 2013 when Millman underwent shoulder surgery for a right shoulder injury, forcing him to withdraw from the French Open and sideline him for nearly a year. During this extended recovery period, with no income from professional tennis, Millman temporarily worked for a securities company to support himself. His ranking plummeted to World No. 1193 by June 2014. Despite the challenges, Millman announced his return to competitive play in April 2014 at the China F4 Futures in Chengdu, where he reached the quarter-finals. In August 2014, he won the Korea F10 and F11 Futures tournaments, marking his first titles in 17 months. He then made the semi-final of the 2014 Sacramento Challenger and the final of the 2014 Tiburon Challenger, losing both times to Sam Querrey, but these performances significantly boosted his ranking by 241 positions to World No. 285. In November, Millman secured his fourth career Challenger title at the 2014 Latrobe City Traralgon ATP Challenger 2, defeating James Ward, and also won the 2014 Keio Challenger in Yokohama, Japan, against Kyle Edmund.

Millman commenced the 2015 season with a wildcard into the 2015 Brisbane International, where he defeated Rhyne Williams and nearly caused a major upset against world No. 2 Roger Federer, leading him 6-4, 3-1 before eventually losing in three sets. At the 2015 Australian Open, he received another wildcard but lost in the first round to Leonardo Mayer. In February 2015, he retired from the first round of the 2015 McDonald's Burnie International due to a lower back concern. He recovered to reach the final of the Kyoto Challenger, losing to Michał Przysiężny, and the final of the Vicenza Challenger, where he fell to Íñigo Cervantes. In June, Millman achieved a significant milestone by qualifying for the main draw of Wimbledon, his first direct entry into a Grand Slam. He upset 19th seed Tommy Robredo in the first round, but despite holding a two-sets-to-love lead, he lost to Marcos Baghdatis in the second round. This strong showing propelled Millman into the top 100 for the first time in his career in July 2015. He continued his success by winning his sixth and seventh Challenger titles in August at the Kentucky and Aptos events, and his eighth Challenger title in November at the 2015 Kobe Challenger. Millman concluded 2015 with a career-high year-end ranking of World No. 92.

2.3. Major Achievements and Olympic History (2016-2020)

This period saw John Millman achieve some of the most significant milestones of his career, including his first ATP Tour title, a memorable Grand Slam quarterfinal, and a unique Olympic record.

Millman began 2016 by reaching the second round of the 2016 Aircel Chennai Open and then losing in the first round of the 2016 Apia International Sydney. At the 2016 Australian Open, he advanced beyond the first round for the first time, defeating Diego Schwartzman. In the second round, he overcame world No. 38 Gilles Müller in a five-set match to reach the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, where he lost to fellow Australian and 16th seed Bernard Tomic. He then reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 Montpellier Open, losing to eventual finalist Paul-Henri Mathieu. Following various ATP Tour events with mixed results, including losses to Steve Johnson and world No. 8 David Ferrer, Millman played at the 2016 French Open. Despite winning the first set and holding numerous set points in the second and third sets, he lost to 15th seed John Isner. He reached the second round at the 2016 MercedesCup. At the 2016 Wimbledon Championships, Millman fought back from two sets to one down to defeat Albert Montañés in the first round. He then reached the third round of a major for the second time by beating 26th seed Benoît Paire in four sets, before losing in straight sets to second seed Andy Murray. After reaching the second round of the Citi Open, he retired during his first-round match at the Rogers Cup.

A historic moment came at the 2016 Rio Olympics, where Millman participated for the first time. In the first round, he achieved a remarkable 6-0, 6-0 victory over Ričardas Berankis. This "double bagel" win marked the first time in Olympic tennis history that any player had won a match without losing a single game. In the second round, he faced fourth seed Kei Nishikori, and despite serving for the opening set and leading 4-0 in the first-set tiebreak, he ultimately lost in straight sets. In August, Millman qualified for and reached the second round of the Cincinnati Masters and then made the semi-finals of the 2016 Winston-Salem Open, defeating notable players like Albert Ramos Viñolas and Richard Gasquet. At the US Open, he lost to eighth seed Dominic Thiem in the first round, despite leading two sets to one. In October, Millman reached the semi-final of the 2016 Ningbo Challenger but was forced to retire due to a hip injury. He finished 2016 with a ranking of World No. 84.

The 2017 season was again impacted by injuries, with Millman withdrawing from the 2017 Brisbane International due to a hip injury that sidelined him for the first five months. He returned at the Mestre Challenger in May, losing in the first round. At the French Open, he lost to 17th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. After little success in the lead-up tournaments, he drew Rafael Nadal in the first round of Wimbledon and was defeated in straight sets. However, he had a breakthrough at the Lexington Challenger in August, reaching the final before losing to Michael Mmoh. At the US Open, Millman delivered his best tennis of the season, upsetting fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios and defeating Malek Jaziri to reach the third round, where he lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber. In September, Millman made his Davis Cup debut in the World Group semi-final against Belgium, losing to world number 12 David Goffin, as Australia was defeated 2-3. He then reached the quarterfinals or better in five consecutive Challengers across Asia, winning the Hua Hin event and finishing the year ranked World No. 128.

The 2018 season was a breakthrough year for Millman, marked by his first ATP final and a monumental win at a Grand Slam. He started the year with a wildcard into the 2018 Brisbane International, where he defeated Peter Polansky and held two match points against world number 3 Grigor Dimitrov before losing in three sets. He reached the second round of both the 2018 Sydney International and the 2018 Australian Open. In February, Millman won the Kyoto Challenger, his tenth career Challenger title, which propelled him back into the world's top 100 after a 12-month absence. In April, Millman reached his first ATP World Tour final at the Budapest International, saving three match points in the semi-final against Aljaž Bedene before losing to Marco Cecchinato in the final. In May, he won the Aix-en-Provence Challenger, but lost to Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the 2018 French Open. In June, he qualified for the Queen's Club but lost to Novak Djokovic in the first round. He reached the quarterfinals of Eastbourne, again losing to Marco Cecchinato. At Wimbledon, Millman lost to Milos Raonic in the second round. By July, Millman's ranking peaked inside the top 50 for the first time.

The most significant achievement of Millman's career came in September at the US Open. He caused a monumental upset by defeating the second seed Roger Federer in the fourth round in four sets, marking his first victory over a top-ten player. This propelled him to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal, where he eventually lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in straight sets. Millman reached a career-high ranking of World No. 33 on 15 October 2018, and finished the year ranked World No. 38.

In 2019, Millman began the season at the 2019 Brisbane International, losing in the second round to Grigor Dimitrov. He reached the quarterfinals of the 2019 Sydney International before falling to Gilles Simon. At the 2019 Australian Open, he defeated Federico Delbonis but lost to Roberto Bautista Agut in a close five-set match in the second round. At the 2019 French Open, Millman was defeated by fifth seed Alexander Zverev in a five-set opening round match on Court Philippe-Chatrier. His grass court season saw early exits at the Stuttgart Open, Halle Open, and Eastbourne International. However, he regained form at Wimbledon, reaching the third round (equaling his career-best performance) with victories over Hugo Dellien and 31st seed Laslo Djere before losing to Sam Querrey. At the Rogers Cup, Millman reached the second round as a lucky loser. At the US Open, he lost in the first round to eventual champion Rafael Nadal. In September, Millman won the OEC Kaohsiung Challenger. A significant achievement came at the Japan Open, where he reached his second ATP Tour final (and first ATP Tour 500 final), but ultimately lost to Novak Djokovic in straight sets. He concluded 2019 with a singles ranking of World No. 48.

The 2020 season was pivotal for Millman, as he secured his maiden ATP Tour title. He started at the ASB Classic in Auckland, reaching the quarterfinals. After participating in the 2020 ATP Cup, he played the Australian Open. In a memorable third-round match, he came close to defeating Roger Federer for a second time, losing in a tight five-set battle 6-4, 6-7, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the ATP Tour was temporarily suspended. Upon its resumption, Millman had disappointing results in subsequent hard court tournaments, including early exits at the Delray Beach Open, Acapulco, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open, where he lost to Frances Tiafoe in the second round. At the French Open, he was defeated in the first round by 17th seed Pablo Carreño Busta. However, in November 2020, Millman won his first and only ATP Tour title at the Astana Open in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, defeating Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 6-1 in the final. He finished 2020 with a singles ranking of World No. 38, marking three consecutive years in the top 50.

2.4. Later Career and Retirement (2021-2024)

Millman's career post-2020 saw a gradual decline in ranking and form, eventually leading to his retirement.

In July 2021, Millman represented Australia at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He advanced past Lorenzo Musetti in the first round of the singles competition but was defeated by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round. He also participated in the men's doubles event with Luke Saville, losing in the first round. Millman reached his fourth quarterfinal of the 2021 season at the 2021 Sofia Open (after Munich, Washington, and Astana), where he lost to Marcos Giron. He also reached the second round of the 2021 BNP Paribas Open before losing to Jannik Sinner, and the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup and St. Petersburg Open. He concluded 2021 with a singles ranking of World No. 72.

In 2022, Millman won his first-round match at the Australian Open against Feliciano López but then lost to third seed Alexander Zverev in the second round. He reached the semi-finals of the Delray Beach Open, defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals, before narrowly losing a tight three-set match to Reilly Opelka. Millman's ranking gradually declined throughout 2022, ending the year at World No. 150.

In 2023, Millman received a wildcard into the 2023 Australian Open, reaching the second round after a five-set victory over Marc-Andrea Huesler, but then lost to seventh seed Daniil Medvedev. In October 2023, he was selected as the No. 2 ATP player for team Australia at the 2024 United Cup. On 9 November 2023, Millman announced his decision to retire from professional tennis at the conclusion of the 2024 Australian Summer of tennis. His singles career officially ended on 11 January 2024, after he failed to qualify for the main draw of the 2024 Australian Open. His final professional match was in the men's doubles event at the Australian Open, where he partnered with Edward Winter. They lost in the second round to the seasoned team of Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden on 19 January 2024, marking the end of Millman's long and resilient career.

3.1. Millmania

Following Millman's first-round victory at the 2013 Brisbane International, Brisbane Times journalist Phil Lutton coined the term 'Millmania' to describe his sudden success and the enthusiastic support he received. The term was subsequently adopted and continued to be used by The Sydney Morning Herald when referring to his performances at events like the Apia International. This phenomenon underscored the special connection Millman had with his fans, particularly in his home country.

4.1. ATP Tour Finals

Millman reached three ATP Tour singles finals during his career, winning one title.

4.2. Challenger and Futures Tour Finals

Millman competed in 32 singles finals on the ATP Challenger and ITF Futures Tours, securing 19 titles and finishing as a runner-up 13 times.

4.3. Junior Singles Finals

Millman won all three of his junior singles finals.

4.4. National Team Representation

John Millman represented Australia in various team competitions, including the Davis Cup, ATP Cup, and the Summer Olympics.

Millman also represented Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021) in singles, reaching the second round on both occasions. He also competed in men's doubles at the Tokyo Olympics.

4.5. Notable Wins and Unique Records

Millman achieved several significant victories and holds a unique record in Olympic tennis history.

He holds a 1-22 record against players who were ranked in the top 10 at the time the match was played.

In addition to his victory over Roger Federer, John Millman holds a unique record:

Millman's match record against players who have been ranked in the top 10, including former world No. 1s:

• Spanish Tommy Robredo 3-1
• American Frances Tiafoe 3-1
• Polish Hubert Hurkacz 2-0
• French Lucas Pouille 2-0
• Spanish Fernando Verdasco 2-1
• Latvian Ernests Gulbis 1-0
• American Jack Sock 1-0
• Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime 1-1
• Italian Fabio Fognini 1-1
• French Richard Gasquet 1-1
• Russian Karen Khachanov 1-1
• French Gilles Simon 1-1
• Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov 1-2
• Argentine Diego Schwartzman 1-2
• Swiss Roger Federer 1-3
• Austrian Dominic Thiem 1-3
• Spanish Pablo Carreño Busta 1-4
• Italian Matteo Berrettini 0-1
• Argentine Juan Martín del Potro 0-1
• Spanish David Ferrer 0-1
• Belgian David Goffin 0-1
• Russian Daniil Medvedev 0-1
• French Gaël Monfils 0-1
• British Cameron Norrie 0-1
• Canadian Milos Raonic 0-1
• Russian Andrey Rublev 0-1
• Norwegian Casper Ruud 0-1
• Canadian Denis Shapovalov 0-1
• Italian Jannik Sinner 0-1
• Czech Radek Štěpánek 0-1
• Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas 0-1
• Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 0-2
• Croatian Marin Čilić 0-2
• American Taylor Fritz 0-2
• British Andy Murray 0-2
• Spanish Rafael Nadal 0-2
• Japanese Kei Nishikori 0-2
• Serbian Novak Djokovic 0-3
• German Alexander Zverev 0-3
• Australian Alex de Minaur 0-4
• American John Isner 0-4
• Spanish Roberto Bautista Agut 0-6

4.6. Performance Timelines

John Millman's performance timelines for Grand Slams, ATP Masters 1000, and national representation events.