Back from four months abroad and in hotel quarantine, John Millman wants answers on the Australian tennis summer.
Quarantined Australian tennis ace John Millman has asked for immediate confirmation of the summer schedule to calm the nerves of anxious players.
Millman, the world number 38, arrived in Sydney in the early hours of Tuesday morning after a four-month stint abroad that included his first ATP Tour tournament victory at the Astana Open in Kazakhstan.
The Queenslander, 31, is now spending a two-week quarantine period in a Sydney hotel with his partner before returning home to Brisbane early next month.
It will hit training grounds hard in December before flying to Melbourne after Christmas for the revamped tennis summer which is set to take place entirely in Victoria – if approved by that state’s government – due to restrictions borders imposed by COVID-19.
But the Australian Open January 18-31 at Melbourne Park, not to mention other potential tournaments, has yet to be confirmed after Victorian Prime Minister Daniel Andrews said nothing had been worked out.
“I stress that we need to get some definitive answers to see if this can go forward,” Millman said.
“It’s really hard to get flights right now – international flights are so hard to get.
“The players are really hungry for a little more information, and I know Tennis Australia is doing everything they can, but also governments because everyone is a little anxious.
“The season is fast approaching and we know how fast the offseason is going. With tennis we only have about four weeks and then we really have to make our arrangements to get here to Australia.
” Hurry up. Next week we’ll really have to start getting answers as players are desperate to start booking their travel arrangements to get here.
“It’s not just about coordinating it for themselves, it’s also about coordinating the movements of their teams.
“It is unrealistic to expect the players to come on their own. A lot of them have teams here and it takes a lot of coordination and effort.
Millman said it was a shame that the Brisbane stage of the ATP Cup did not take place after the success of the event in the 2020 Cup played in Queensland, Western Australia and New Wales from South.
“I want to play Brisbane, I want to play in my state, I love to play there – there is no better place to play tennis,” he said.
“But I have no doubts that (Tennis Australia CEO) Craig Tiley and his team can help make things a little easier.
“Tennis Australia will create a safe environment not only for the players, but also for the public.
“It has to be the priority that we don’t bring the virus to Australia. We can have the event and it’s a really important event to have.
While two weeks confined to a hotel won’t be easy for a “restless” Millman, he said a short break was needed.
“It was a very long trip, not necessarily the weather but being in a bubble, and the lifestyle in quarantine every day for the past four months was difficult, probably mentally exhausting more than anything,” he said. declared.
“It wasn’t the easiest season, but if I can get through those two weeks, it’ll be good to have some freedom because I haven’t had this in about four months… but to win my first title , it was all worth it.
Millman, ranked 38th in the world, beat Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-1 to win the Astana crown earlier this month.
“It was a really big goal for a while to win an ATP title. They are not easy to win. I really wanted to tick that box before I quit playing,” he said.
“Winning in this bubble lifestyle is more difficult, and mentally it’s really difficult, so to be able to perform well in these conditions, I was really happy.”
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