John Millman would love to have his third-round match with Roger Federer on Melbourne Arena, but it's probably not gonna happen.
Australia’s John Millman knows what it’s like to have Roger Federer out of sorts. He defeated the great Swiss in grueling, muggy conditions at the US Open in New York in 2018 in a match that was played in a cauldron known as Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Millman is hoping to put Federer in a different kind of cauldron when the pair meet in the third round at Melbourne Park on Friday. He wants to get Federer out of Rod Laver Arena and on one of the showcourts that lets the rowdy Aussies go wild in support of the green and gold.
He was asked if he had put in a request to play on a court other than Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday after his win over Hubert Hurkacz.
“Of course,” he replied, “but I don't think Craig (Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley) will take me too serious. More so just to throw a spanner in the works for Roger. I don't know if he knows the other courts. He hits on the outside ones, but he hasn't played too many. I don't know if he would have played too many matches on the outside ones.”
Millman said Court 3 or Melbourne Arena would suit him fine—doesn’t matter which.
“Look, I love a vocal crowd,” he said. “Obviously the matches I played, probably two really special courts, Show Court 3 and Melbourne Arena, are notorious for the crowd support you get there, the vocal Aussies. I very much consider myself, and I think the people who know me, know that I'm just your typical Aussie bloke. So I'm one of the people. The people get the ground passes and the people go to those courts. Look, I know it's a little corporate at Rod Laver, but it's still a pretty cool court to play on.”
Federer said he’s game to play wherever the tournament’s supervisors, but he was quick to reply that a top Aussie against a six-time champion, well that sounds like a match for Rod’s house.
“Look, I don't choose which court I play on,” Federer said. “I don't know if he was joking or if he was serious. You would think a match like this should be played at Rod Laver Arena maybe.”
He added: “I'm ready to go anywhere, whatever it takes.”
No matter where they play, Millman knows he’ll be the heavy underdog:
“I’m going to definitely be the underdog, no doubt about it. The stars aligned one night for me at Flushing Meadows, but Roger’s one of the greatest ever—he’s a class act.”
