By Tennis Now | Monday, December 31, 2018
"I feel responsibility when I play in Brisbane because so many people have helped me in my career," said Brisbane native John Millman.
Photo credit: Brisbane International Facebook
John Millman will get another shot at Grigor Dimitrov in Brisbane.
The 29-year-old Brisbane native subdued Tennys Sandgren, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (8), 6-0, before enthusiastic home fans in Rafter Arena to set up a second-round clash with Dimitrov.
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Earlier today, 2017 Brisbane champion Dimitrov defeated Yoshihito Nishioka, 6-3, 6-4.
The sixth-seeded Dimitrov, who slumped to a 5-7 mark in his prior 12 matches, played the type of assertive tennis coach Andre Agassi has encouraged.
"Every year it's a new beginning," Dimitrov said. "I'm very happy to start the year out here. I always started well and had good results. I just want to keep on with the same momentum.
"It's never easy that first match. It's still 2018 so you try to get over every hurdle that you have and in the past four or five months things have been a little rough for me so I'm just pleased with the win. It was a tricky opponent, especially on a surface like that, so I'm taking it in."
The 27-year-old Dimitrov, who has slipped to No. 19, is eager for a fast start to the season.
"It was a good day overall," Dimitrov said. "There were a few things that I would like to maybe improve on the next match, but overall I think it's off to a positive start."
Last January, Millman held a pair of match points over Dimitrov in their 2018 Brisbane opener before Dimitrov rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (8) 6-3 triumph.
Millman had a shot for a straight-sets victory in his Brisbane return today, but 2018 Australian Open quarterfinalist Sandgren saved a match point at 5-6 in the second-set tiebreak to force the decider.
The Australian No. 3, known for his fitness, steamrolled through the decider.
“You are going to get those matches during the course of a year—that’s tennis—and I felt I rebounded really well in the third set," Millman said. "I feel responsibility when I play in Brisbane because so many people have helped me in my career."
No. 5-seeded Milos Raonic routed Aljaz Bedene, 6-0, 6-3.
The 2016 Brisbane champion will play Serbian qualifier Miomir Kecmanovic next.
Kecmanovic toppled Leonardo Mayer, 6-3, 6-1.