Tonight, Australian tennis player John Millman will be taking on Djokovic in the men’s quarter finals at the US Open.
Millman, 29, has the support system of a loving family guiding him through the tournament. He is one of five children– the only son– to Ron and Shona Millman. Interested in learning more about them? Read on.
1. His Mother Recently Said His Head in the Match Against Federer Was a ‘Bit of a Cabbage’
The Australian beat out Federer in Tuesday’s match, which even his family says they didn’t quite expect.
Shona, Millman’s mother, revealed that her son’s head was “a bit of a cabbage” in the days leading up to the US Open, and went as far as to say that he didn’t have the best preparation going into the match. “He would have gone out wanting to believe he could beat Roger. He said he is not going to play to a reputation and I know he means that,” she told Express.
“But I probably think he will be pinching himself that he actually did beat him.
Speaking to Yahoo sports, Shona added on, “I’ve seen very low times. He doesn’t mind losing but he hates losing when he doesn’t play well.”
2. His Family Is Celebrating His Win Against Federer
After beating out Federer, Millman’s father said he was “super proud” of his son. On Tuesday, Ron Millman told 2GB, “Up until 10 minutes ago, I haven’t seen any of it… I haven’t spoken to John, nothing.”
Still, the family says, they value the man Millman has become over his talent on the court. “One, he’s such a good tennis player but I’m more proud of how he acts, the person he is and how he treats other people.”
3. His Father Is Known as ‘the Fox’
I’ve had a few people concerned about the 🦊 whereabouts for my match today. He’s still here, just the one strike, and despite Wimbledon being a big place he managed to find court 6. He’s absolutely knackered now though having played having played each and every point with me.
John’s father lovingly goes by the nickname ‘The Fox’.
He says his son has built a warm rapport with Federer, and he’s happy he’s the man he played against. “… it’s nice that he got Roger. But Roger’s been very nice to John, too, because John’s gone and hit with him in Geneva. In a way I’m glad he beat him but he’s one of the nicer people on the circuit, too. I’m super proud.”
4. His Father Ron Is a Teacher
Millman’s father works as a teacher. His mother is a primary school PE teacher.
He joked to 2GB that that while he was attempting to teach a lesson to his students the day of the match, they kept interrupting him with updates on how his son was progressing against Federer. “[The lesson] certainly didn’t go to plan,” he said.
Does Ron necessarily think that his son has what it takes to win the competition against Djokovic on Thursday. Not necessarily. He tells Express, “I don’t know if you can get two miracles. But he will do us proud, I can tell you that. He is just a good human being.”
5. His Sister Says She Started Crying When He Pulled off the Win
Millman’s sister, Tessa, admits she struggled to hold it together when he pulled off the win. “I just started crying! It was pretty embarassing.”
Tessa’s birthday happened to be the same day as the match, and she joked to the outlet that she feels her brother is indebted to her because she told him to win for her birthday.
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John Millman’s Parents: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know