Can John Millman the Federer-slayer win the US Open? Updated for December 2024

Updated: 9th December 2024

““ If the best author of the composed word would have composed that story, no-one would have thought it.””

. When commentating on the memorable 1973 rugby match in between the Barbarians and the All Blacks, #ppppp> The late excellent Cliff Morgan said this mellifluous and lovely line.

Although the Welshman was mentioning the terrific scrum-half Gareth Edwards, this might similarly be requested the impressive accomplishment of an obscure tennis gamer called Mark Edmondson.

The year is 1976, the exact same year that Fidel Castro ended up being the President of Cuba.

Edmondson is playing in just his 3rd slam at the age of 21. It occurs to be his house grand slam – – the Australian Open.

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The Australian, who had actually just won one match in a grand slam prior to, is ranked 212th worldwide.

He is preparing to deal with Austrian Peter Feigl, a gamer who went onto defeat Ken Rosewall at the 1978 Australian Open, in exactly what ended up being the last grand slam match ‘‘ Muscles ’ ever played.

Edmondson originated from 2 sets to one down to see off Feigl in round one and therefore sped up a journey that would end up being among the most amazing underdog tales in all of sport – – one that not that lots of will know.

The 6’’ 1 ” right-hander then knocked out 5th seed Philip Dent, 12th seed Brian Fairlie and 13th seed Richard Crealy. The magic did not end there.

He then powered previous world top, Rosewall, in 4 sets to establish a dream last with protecting champ, John Newcombe.

So, did he do it? Well obviously he did. Edmondson originated from a set down to distress the Aussie legend.

He ended up being the very first gamer in the Open period to win a grand slam as an unseeded gamer.

He stays the lowest-ranked winner of a slam considering that the ATP rankings became in 1973.

Edmondson, who now sports among the best moustaches you will ever see, is likewise the last Australian to this day to win the males’’ s songs at the Australian Open.

Fast forward to 2018 and another unheralded Aussie is accomplishing amazing things.

In among the best upsets in the sport’’ s history, Brisbane born John Millman beat 20-time grand slam champ Roger Federer in the 4th round of the United States Open.

What makes this sensational outcome a lot more hardly credible, is that the 29-year-old, who has a profession record of 44 wins and 58 losses, nearly retired from the sport in 2011 from a shoulder injury.

And yet, there he remained in Arthur Ashe arena, deservedly securing the five-time United States Open champ in front of the viewing world – – apart from his household, who were paralyzed by nerves and a superstitious worry of bringing misfortune to him.

So, 42 years on from Edmondson’’ s heroics, will the stars line up for an Australian as soon as again?

Next up is Novak Djokovic who, after publishing a disappointing match record of 6 wins and 6 losses early in 2018, has actually gone onto win Wimbledon and Cincinnati. He is the bookies’ ’ favourite for the title.

The Serb is not impregnable. Like Federer, Djokovic had a hard time tremendously with the extreme heat and humidity in his particular preliminary match versus Marton Fucsovics.

If those conditions return, Djokovic might be in for an almighty battle on Wednesday night.

The world number 55 has definitely nothing to lose and whatever to acquire.

He can perhaps draw motivation from Edmondson or, more just recently, Italian Marco Cecchinato.

Heading into the French Open, the 25-year-old had actually just won around a lots ATP matches in his profession, prior to he went onto reach the semi-finals in Paris, beating Djokovic, of all individuals, along the method.

Stranger things have actually taken place in sport, not to mention tennis. Why can’’ t ‘ Millmania ’ bring on, if just for a brief while?

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Read more: theroar.com.au

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