News

‘I get too nervous’: Millman’s mum reveals she didn’t watch him beat Federer

Sep 05, 2018

Millman's parents said his success won't change him. Source: Getty/Twitter/Sunrise.

He shocked the world when he spectacularly beat world number two Roger Federer on Tuesday, but the parents of Aussie underdog John Millman have revealed they didn’t actually see him claim victory over the Swiss icon.

Despite the now legendary match being the biggest of their 29-year-old son’s career, neither Ron nor Shona Millman could bring themselves to watch John, who is currently ranked 55th in the world, take on Roger in the US open.

Speaking to Channel Nine’s the Today show this morning, Shona was asked: “You were that nervous you couldn’t watch it?” to which she replied: “That’s exactly right, I can’t watch John’s big matches. That’s so true.”

She also revealed that the family, from Brisbane, haven’t been able to speak to their champion yet, saying they didn’t want to worry him. However Shona added that she has messaged her son, teasing him about how many reporters have turned up at the family home since his win yesterday.

It wasn’t just John’s mum who couldn’t watch the match though as his dad revealed that he was actually teaching year 6 students when the clash took place in the US, revealing that the deputy head teacher was running up and down the corridors giving him updates.

“I didn’t have to watch it yesterday because I was teaching” he told Channel Seven’s Sunrise. “The deputy did a lot of running down to my room, giving me score updates and things like that. So I knew he was going pretty well. It was wonderful.”

What a beautiful family! @TimGGilbert chats to the Millmans before their son John faces off against Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open. #9Today pic.twitter.com/tXBb0kzftc

— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) September 4, 2018

Millman shot to victory and won 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 7-6 in four sets on Tuesday, and will now move through to the quarter-final clash with Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic.

Speaking of his shock after his victory, the Mail Online reports Millman said: “I have so much respect for Roger and everything he’s done,” before adding: “I got out of a tough second set, found my feet and think I served really well.”

It’s the first time Millman has defeated a top-10 opponent, but Federer has always been a big supporter of his opponent. Claiming he is a “big fan of John”, the world number two praised the Aussie during an interview published by The Australian before their match, labelling him a friendly and hardworking guy.

Dad Ron doesn’t think John will be fazed by his quarter final match against Djokovic and said he is “hoping for another miracle”. He said: “One thing about John is he is very level headed, very professional and he’ll just approach it like he did Federer.

“Djokovic thrashed him a couple of games ago, but it’s a new country, new court, they’ll start 0-0.”

His mum then credited his sisters – of which he has four – for getting him into tennis: “They [his sisters] are responsible for bringing them along when he was younger because he trained with them. He had about a ten minute session, then the girls would boot him off the court when they had a lesson.”