The Baseline Player of the Week: John Millman

John Millman has a lot to celebrate this week. The Brisbane native had a huge career breakthrough after 12 years by finally winning his first-ever ATP Tour title. The 31-year-old defeated Adrian Mannarino, 7-5, 6-1, in the final of the Astana Open in Nur-Sultan, Kazakstan. .

He fended off six break points to win the final.

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Thank you to everyone @AstanaOpen who made this tournament possible. You did a tremendous job. Incredibly happy to win my first ATP title in your tournament’s first edition. The Kazakhstan hospitality made this one very special. 🇰🇿 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/vj4ww0bSRY
— John Millman (@johnhmillman) November 2, 2020

“It is incredible. I am so happy and relieved,” Millman said after the match. “I just feel very satisfied. It is just a pure moment of satisfaction. That was my third final—third time lucky I guess."

Millman has always been on the verge of greatness, famously defeating Roger Federer in five sets at the US Open two years ago. Yet it took him over a decade of ITF Future and ATP Challenger titles to claim his first ATP trophy.

Match Point(s) Saved Champions in 2020*

🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic (Dubai)
🇨🇿 Jiri Vesely (Pune)
🇺🇸 Reilly Opelka (Delray Beach)
🇫🇷 Ugo Humbert (Antwerp)
🇦🇺 John Millman (Nur-Sultan)

*Players who have saved a match point across the tournament they eventually won. pic.twitter.com/2VjXAaX0kV
— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 1, 2020

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His last two final appearances were in Budapest in 2018 and in Tokyo in 2019. Millman has moved up seven spots to world No. 38.