Thursday, 6 September 2018:
 | | NOVAK DJOKOVIC of Serbia plays a forehand against Tomas Berdych of The Czech Republic in the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London, England. | |
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Hungry for more, John Millman is eyeing an Australian Open seeding after his US Open odyssey came to an end with a sapping quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic.
The Serbian superstar downed Millman 6-3 6-4 6-4 in a drama-charged war of attrition to reach his 11th semi-final in New York.
Millman, though, also leaves Flushing Meadows a winner and with renewed belief that he can challenge for major spoils following his stirring run to the second week of a grand slam for the first time.
Millman's stunning fourth-round victory over Roger Federer will elevate the 29-year-old to 37th in the world next week, leaving him well placed over the next two months to secure a top-32 seeding for Melbourne Park.
"You've always got to raise that bar and I've had a taste of it and I'd love to have a bit more of a feed," Millman said.
"I definitely think I can build off this and hopefully finish off the year really well and then look forward to the most exciting time for an Australian tennis player in the Australian Open.
"I'd love to be seeded at one of these tournaments. That's the next milestone.
"I can match it with these guys (so) you build a bit of confidence.
"Then a really decent pre-season could give me a great chance at the Australian Open to play some good ball."
With Millman making headlines in Australia for his stirring victory over Federer, even Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch were on hand on Wednesday night to see what all the fuss was about.
The media moguls weren't disappointed, passionately cheering Millman on from their front-row seats as the Aussie battler dragged Djokovic out of his comfort zone with some incredible retrieving on another steamy night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Just like Federer two nights earlier against Millman, Djokovic looked in distress as Millman toiled valiantly to turn the match into a physical endurance test.
But the 13-times major winner's class ultimately told, gaining a decisive break in each set to advance to a last-four meeting on Friday with rejuvenated 2014 runner-up Kei Nishikori.
"I was struggling, he was struggling, we were all sweating," Djokovic said after the two-hour, 49-minute torture test.
"I was just trying to hang in there and try to find a way to win the match.
"But definitely it was not easy conditions to play in.
""Full credit for John for putting up a great battle. He's truly a great fighter. He's had an amazing tournament."
The two combatants received a standing ovation after one spectacular rally in the opening game of the second set, with even Sir Rupert rising from his seat.
The lung-busting rallies were appearing to take their toll on Djokovic.
Upon missing a gimme volley - after Millman retrieved a lob with some incredibly scrambling - and then pushing a return wide, Djokovic staggered back into position before tipping water over his head at the changeover.
There was more drama three games later as Millman left the court "to change his attire due to the humid conditions".
But it was Djokovic who benefited from the break.
"I was happy to sit there and rest for 10 minutes," he said before breaking Millman in the final game of the set to snatch the set and seize command of the match.
