SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER!
 
 
Facebook Social Button Twitter Social Button Follow Us on InstagramYouTube Social Button
NewsScoresRankingsLucky Letcord PodcastShopPro GearPickleballGear Sale

Popular This Week

Net Notes - A Tennis Now Blog

Net Posts

Industry Insider - A Tennis Now Blog

Industry Insider

Second Serve - A Tennis Now Blog

Second Serve

 

Millman: The Drunker, the Better


Happy Slam was happy hour for a local favorite today.

A swarm of vocal Aussie fans packed inside Court 3 served home favorite John Millman shots of adrenaline with their enthusiastic support.

Sharapova: I Don't Know If I'll Return to AO

Afterward, Millman toasted fans.

Acknowledging some fans may well have been fueled by liquid lunch, Millman flourished in the festive atmosphere concluding "the drunker the better" when it comes to crowd participation.

"Look, I love, you know, a vocal crowd. I think the energy, you know, I like feeding off the crowd's energy," Millman said after subduing Ugo Humbert in a physical three hour, 24-minute battle. "I need that, like we touched on. I try to bring that physicality, and sometimes you need that little bit of motivation on the sidelines.

"I love the crowd support that I get. I love playing on that court, actually, in show Court 3. I have had some really good moments there. And, you know, the more rowdy they are, the drunker they are, the better."

Millman shocked Roger Federer at the 2018 US Open for his first career Top 10 victory. He will face 31st-seeded Hubert Hurkacz in the second round with the winner likely facing the third-seeded Federer in round three.

"I don't know who the sponsors are this week, it used to be Jacobs Creek," Millman said. "It might say. I don't know. I know that the Chinese one's a really strong alcohol, so let's feed the crowd. I don't encourage binge drinking, guys, so please don't quote me on that.

"Look, the Australian Open, it's not just a tennis event now. It should be an entertainment event. I think our organizers have done an incredible job to not just make it a tennis spectacle. And we are an entertainment business and we've got to get people from all walks of life through the gates and appreciating tennis and all the other things. I love it. I use the crowd. I love the support that I get here in Melbourne. It makes the matches really memorable and worthwhile."

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

Posted: