All good things must come to an end.
ATP world number 55, and true Aussie icon, John Millman has just bowed out of the US Open at the hands of Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic, currently ranked at number 6, defeated our last remaining hope for an Australian victor 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours and 49 minutes.
It’s been a rather incredible journey to the quarter-finals for 29 year-old Brisbanian, whose run to the final 8 included victories over 2nd seed Roger Federer and 14th seed Fabio Fognini.
Millman may have conceded defeat in straight sets, yet he did push Nole, as apparent by the higher than average rally length: 6.47 shots.
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Djokovic had nothing but kind words to say about Millman during his post-match interview.
“I’ve played him only once before in my career,” he said. “He’s been around for quite a few years, he’s known around the tour as a guy with hard working ethics and you can see that.
“He fights for every point and he’s never going to hand you the win. He played an amazing tournament.”
Millman received a standing ovation as he left Arthur Ashe Stadium, and rightly so – the last time a male Australian tennis player reached a quarter-final at Flushing Meadows was Lleyton Hewitt 12 years ago at the 2006 Open.
Djokovic now faces Kei Nishikori in the semi-finals. The winner will meet either Rafael Nadal or Juan Martin Del Potro in the ultimate showdown for the 2018 title.
Image: Getty / Matthew Stockman
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