Run of the Millman ended by Djokovic
“Millmania” is over, but not before entertaining the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd for another night. Auss i e Jo h n Mi l l man didn’t beat tournament favorite Novak Djokovic, but put on a respectably good show in their U.S. Open quarterfinal that lasted nearly three hours.
This time, the crowd was on the side of 55th-ranked unseeded Cinderella Man from Down Under who slayed Roger Federer in the fourth round Monday as the stadium mourned.
Wednesday, the fans appreciated Millman’s hustle and indomitable spirit after he made his share of wild gets but succumbed to Djokovic in a more-complicated-thanit sounds 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 loss.
“I try to leave it all out there — I left it all out there today, but Novak’s a champion,’’ Millman said. “You play Roger, then Novak and he sometimes flies under the radar. It’s tricky. I gave it a crack. It’s like trying to beat a brick wall.”
Djokovic, reigning Wimbledon champion, moves to Friday’s semifinals against Japan’s Kei Nishikori. It marks Djokovic’s 11th straight Open semifinal berth.
Many in the crowd had figured they would see a classic Djokovic-Federer quarterfinal, but the underdog Millman crashed the party. Like Millman did to the 37-year-Federer, Djokovic f inally wore down the 29-year-old Aussie.
“I, along with other people, was anticipating Roger,’’ Djokovic said. “I was surprised. But it wasn’t Roger’s day. But Millman is the kind of player that makes you miss the ball.”
But not before Millman received standing ovations for winning the match’s two best points, marathon 25-plus-shot rallies. Millman raced back from the net to deep behind the baseline to make retrievals that shocked Djokovic, who blew the point both times.
“I was very tested, almost three hours, it’s midnight,’’ Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “He’s a fighter. He fights for every point and is never going to hand you the win.
Millman, whose forehand can be shaky, couldn’t sustain it like he did against Federer, when he posted his first-ever victory against a top-10 player and extended Federer’s 10-year Flushing drought. He broke Djokovic’s serve only once and posted just two break points.
Millman, who had become the first Aussie to make the quarterfinals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2006, kept the three sets close.
The late-evening’s humidity played a factor. At one point, with no changeover between games, Millman asked permission from Djokovic for a clothing change and apologized. Millman told him on the court his shorts were so sopping wet, he couldn’t put the tennis balls inside his pockets. “I could use the break,’’ Djokovic told Millman.
Millman left the court for six minutes as tournament officials gave Millman a bathroom break.
“I’ve never sweated more than in any tournament,” said Djokovic, who stated the tournament should look into the air-circulation issue at Ashe.
Millman’s run to the quarterfinals will move him up in the rankings to 35. Last October he was playing obscure Challengers in Asia.
Mill man, in 10 days, equaled his earnings for the year, coming away with $450,000.
After groin surgery in February 2017, Millman went to work for a mortgage brokerage firm, unsure if he still had a tennis career to bank on.
The Millman magic finally ran out late in the second set Wednesday with both players on serve. Djokovic had been just 1-of-13 on break points, but got a gift as Millman double-faulted on break point at 4-4. Djokovic then served out the set and Millman was in a 0-2 hole.
“I’m a very proud Australian and the support has been overwhelming back home,’’ Millman said.