Millman steeled for Federer Swiss maestro aiming for payback after painful loss

JOHN Millman is bracing for a ruthless Australian Open onslaught from Roger Federer as the Swiss sorcerer seeks revenge for a miserable US Open loss to the Queenslander two years ago.

Millman stunned Grand Slam record-holder Federer with a career-defining 3-6 7-5 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3) fourth-round victory in 2018, taming the superstar with physicality in brutal conditions.

Federer suffered in Flushing Meadows’ heat and humidity as iron-willed Millman traded on bottomless stamina.

“I feel as if Roger, one of his best qualities is the fact that he moves on pretty quickly,” Millman said ahead of the pair’s Melbourne Park third-round assignment tonight.

“He put together a pretty good kind of 12 months after.

“I’m sure he’ll be confident in himself. He’s got every reason to be super, super confident in himself. He’s won umpteen (20) Grand Slams.

“Look, I think he’ll treat it as another match, obviously.

“Probably even he’ll be that much more determined to kind of nip me in the bud.”

Federer has a 2-1 record against Millman, barely surviving the right-hander in Brisbane in 2015 before avenging the New York loss with straight-sets success in Halle last year.

Despite that, the six-time Melbourne Park champion knows Millman will not shirk the challenge.

“I think the next match is really going to be a test for me because John is going to be there. He’s fit like a fiddle,” Federer said.

“I’ve lost to him in the past in a best-of-five set match.

“I almost lost to him in Brisbane as well, the first time I played against him.

“He’s from this country, so naturally also it’s going to be different intensity.”

Reflecting on the US Open setback, Federer said he had suffered on an unprecedented scale.

“Yeah, definitely.

I don’t know anything close,” he said.

“I was just happy over. I never had that.

“I think it was a combination of many things that went wrong for me on that day, plus the opponent was ready and tough as nails.

“I tried everything in the match itself, as well. It was just not meant to be that day.

“I hit the wall. I tried to figure it out as long as I could.

“I still had my chances, so it was a tough loss.” remotely it was