AO Wild Card Play-off #2

Continuing in the round robin stage of the Australian Open Wild card Play-off, Greg’s second match saw him up against peer and good mate from Brisbane, John Millman. Coming off a shoulder reconstruction late last year, Millman has had a stellar year this year, advancing his ranking from the mid 500’s to 309 this week. John’s athleticism and consistency are his main weapons, relying on attrition and back court play rather than overt aggression to wear his opponents down and fashion a win. Greg and John first played each other at Melbourne Park as 12 year-olds, where John won the match when Greg retired at 1-1 in sets with a badly twisted knee. Their latest encounter saw John beat Greg in a long 3 set match in an ITF tournament.


With Greg serving first, games went with serve to 4-3, Greg up. Greg said he got Millman to 0-30 on two occasions and 30-30 on another, on Millman’s serve, but did not return well enough to get a break-point opportunity. At 4-3 he did so and converted the opportunity to lead 5-3 and then served out the set in confident fashion.

With Millman serving 1st in the 2nd set, it was a mirror of the 1st set, games going with serve to 4-3. Then Millman applied the pressure on Greg, who, with old balls, missed a few 1st serves and dropped his serve to trail 3-5. Millman duly converted his service game to win the 2nd set 6-3 and level the match at 1 set all.

Vitally Greg was serving first, with new balls, in the 3rd set. The 1st three service games went with serve, to 2-1, Greg up. Then Greg managed to break the Millman serve to lead 3-1. The next game was a crunch game and went to four deuces before Greg managed to hold for a 4-1 lead. Millman held and Greg also had a easier service game to go to 5-2. With the pressure on Millman, Greg made some crucial returns and upped the ante, getting Millman to 0-40. On the 1st match point Millman made a few miracle “fetches”, forcing Greg to play extra shots, Greg eventually netting the ball. Desperate to break and not have to serve out the match, it was Greg’s turn to make some great returns, forcing the Millman back from the baseline and drawing the error, to win the game, the set and the match, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

A good win for Greg, which sees him through to the quarter-final (knock-out stage) of the tournament. He still has another round-robin match to go, but it has no bearing on him or his opponent, Dane Kelly, advancing or not. He has two wins, Kelly none, Millman and Propoggia 1 win apiece. Millman and Propaggia play each other so only 1 of them can get to 2 wins. As 2 players from each group advance to the knock-out stage Greg is through.