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Aussie wildcard John Millman has scored a spirited five-set opening-round victory against world No.51 Marc-Andrea Huesler at Melbourne Park.
Melbourne, Australia, 16 January 2023 | Darren Parkin
Millmania is alive and well at Australian Open 2023, with John Millman marching into the second round following a five-set epic against Switzerland’s Marc Andrea Huesler.
After a grinding first three sets, the world No.148 dominated to win 12 of the last 17 games in an impressive 6-7(8) 7-5 6-7(2) 6-2 6-3 display from the 33-year-old Australian.
Millman was playing his 12th five-set match at Grand Slam level, and his sixth at the Australian Open. Coming into this match, he’d lost his previous seven five-setters stretching back to Wimbledon 2016.
MILL-MANIA 🙌🇦🇺
Trademark @johnhmillman fights to win a five set epic to move into the second round, 6-7(8) 7-5 6-7(2) 6-2 6-3 💪#GoAussies • #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/unE52ioarD
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) January 16, 2023
The first set stretched nearly an hour, with only 12 points won against the serve throughout, as both players settled into a groove.
In the tiebreak, it was Huesler who reduced his unforced error count to overturn a 2-5 deficit on the way to taking the opening set.
The second set progressed a similar way, with Millman producing his first break point of the match at 5-all. He would convert that chance before holding serve comfortably to level the match at a set apiece.
Huesler broke early in the third and looked to be taking control but, in trademark fashion, Millman responded.
It was a record day one crowd at Melbourne Park and the grounds would hardly have heard a bigger roar than when Millman converted break point to get back on serve in the third set at 5-all.
When the Australian produced a magnificent lob at 5-6 30-30, the foundations of Court 3 began to shake.
As the third set went to a tiebreak, Huesler was able to hold his nerve with clutch serving and big forehands sweeping him to a two-sets-to-one lead.
The match had been an arm wrestle up to that point, but it turned significantly in the fourth with Millman seizing control to break serve twice (from five break point chances created), striking 14 winners on the way to a 34-minute 6-2 set.
As world No.51 Huesler began to fatigue, his first serve percentage dropped to 47 per cent, in the fifth as Millman kept the foot down to run away with the match.
Court 3 is going OFF 🗣😍@johnhmillman gets the early break in the fifth 💪#GoAussies • #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/GNnvnLAhVT
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) January 16, 2023
Millman generated only one break point chance in the first three sets but had 10 across sets four and five as Huesler’s winners dried up, with just 11 in sets four and five after 55 in the first three.
World No.51 Huesler won a maiden ATP title in Sofia last year, defeating the likes of Holger Rune, but has now lost three straight five-set matches in the opening round of Grand Slams.
Millman was playing his 50th match at Grand Slam-level and appearing in a ninth Australian Open main draw.
The Queenslander is now set to take on either US Open 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev or American Marcos Giron in the second round.
Earlier today, Jason Kubler recorded his first Australian Open main-draw victory. The Aussie wildcard posted a 6-4 6-4 6-4 win against world No.44 Sebastian Baez of Argentina.
> READ: Kubler scores first Australian Open win
AUSSIES IN ACTION – Australian Open
TODAY’S RESULTS
Men’s singles, first round
[WC] John Millman (AUS) d Marc-Andrea Huesler (SUI) 6-7(8) 7-5 6-7(2) 6-2 6-3
[WC] Jason Kubler (AUS) d Sebastian Baez (ARG) 6-4 6-4 6-4
Women’s singles, first round
[WC] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) d [Q] Polina Kudermetova 7-5 6-1
[Q] Clara Burel (FRA) d [WC] Talia Gibson (AUS) 6-3 6-4
> READ: Gadecki makes dream Australian Open debut
COMING UP
Men’s singles, first round
[22] Alex de Minaur (AUS) v Yu Hsiou Hsu (TPE)
Chris O’Connell (AUS) v Jenson Brooksby (USA)
Jordan Thompson (AUS) v J.J. Wolf (USA)
Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) v Fabio Fognini (ITA)
[Q] Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) v [Q] Brandon Holt (USA)
[Q] Max Purcell (AUS) v Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN)
[WC] Alexei Popyrin (AUS) v Chun-Hsin Tseng (TPE)
[WC] Rinky Hijikata (AUS) v [Q] Yannick Hanfmann (GER)
Men’s singles, second round
[WC] Jason Kubler (AUS) v [18] Karen Khachanov
[WC] John Millman (AUS) v TBC
Women’s singles, first round
[WC] Jaimee Fourlis (AUS) v Linda Fruhvirtova (CZE)
[WC] Kimberly Birrell (AUS) v [31] Kaia Kanepi (EST)
[WC] Storm Hunter (AUS) v Wang Xinyu (CHN)
Women’s singles, second round
[WC] Olivia Gadecki (AUS) v Marta Kostyuk (UKR)
> READ: Australian Open doubles draws revealed
Book online, play today: Visit play.tennis.com.au to get out on court and have some fun!
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