World number 45 John Millman saved all six break points he faced and broke three times to beat Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-1 after 1 hour and 48 minutes in the final of the Astana Open ATP 250 tournament in Nur Sultan. The Australian player clinched the first ATP Tour title of his career at the age of 31.
Millman has extended his unbeaten streak in his head-to-head matches against Mannarino to 3-0.
Millman fended off two match points at 3-5 in the third set and came back from 0-5 down in the tie-break of the third set to beat Tommy Paul 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-5). On Saturday Millman came back from 0-3 down in the third set winning six of the last seven games to beat Frances Tiafoe 3-6 6-4 6-4.
Millman saved five break points in the opening set and got his first break in the 12th game with a backhand down the line winner to close out the first set 7-5. Millman reeled off five consecutive games with two consecutive breaks in the fourth and sixth games to win the second set 6-1.
Millman is the fifth first-time champion on the ATP Tour in 2020 after Ugo Humbert, Casper Ruud, Thiago Seyboth Wild and Miomir Kecmanovic. Mannarino fell to a record of just 1 win and 9 defeats in career finals.
“To all the team back home that’s littered around the world, thank you for always supporting me not just in the good times but in the tough times. This is my first ATP 250 that I have won and it’s really special that I could do it in Nur Sultan. Massive thank you. I have enjoyed every minute of being a guest in this great country. Thanks you. Congratulations to Adrian we have some tough battles and some really hard-fought matches. You are so tough to play. You compete so hard. Thank you for sharing the court with me today”, said Millman.
The Brisbane native player has become the fifth native player to win an ATP title after saving match points.
“It’s incredible. I am so happy and relieved. I just feel satisfied. It’s just a pure moment of satisfaction. That was my third final, third time I guess. These things aren’t easy to win and to do so at a place where I felt so comfortable all week in terms of hospitality, makes it really special. To win the inaugural Astana Open is special. I am so happy. It has been a big team effort and I am pumped”, said Millman.
