Sep 4th, 2018

Sep 4th, 2018

Unseeded Australian John Millman has created one of the biggest upsets in US Open history, stunning Roger Federer with an incredible four-set victory.

Millman admitted to being "like a bit of a deer in headlights to begin with" but after dropping the first set 3-6 he went for broke to draw level by taking a tight second set and took a stranglehold of the match to win it 3-6 7-5 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3).

While the 29-year-old Queenslander played the match of his life, Federer was well off his game and started to look exhausted in the hot and humid conditions as Millman fought for every point in the second set.

RE-LIVE: How Millman beat Federer

And despite breaking to jump out to a 4-2 lead in the fourth set, the Swiss ace was never able to regain control and ran out of gas completely after Millman broke back and sent the set to a tiebreak.

At that point the World No.2 crumbled and Millman held his nerve to produce a life-changing victory that sends him into a grand slam quarter-final against Novak Djokovic.

Millman was visibly stunned by his own performance, telling former US tennis player and coach Brad Gilbert that he had just beaten his "hero".

"I'm probably in a bit of disbelief, I have so much respect for Roger Federer and everything he's done for the game. He's been a hero of mine and today he was definitely not at his best but I'll take it," Millman said.

"I felt like a bit of a deer in headlights to begin with to be honest. The feet weren't moving, Roger had it on a string, he was manipulating me around the court.

John Millman is congratulated by Roger Federer after beating him. (AAP)

"But I got out of a tough second set and started to be a little bit more aggressive. I think I started to serve really well and probably capitalised a little bit on Roger having an off service day."

Not since Pat Rafter handed a tantrum-throwing Federer a tennis lesson on the then-18-year-old's grand slam debut at Roland Garros in 1999 had an Australian conquered the great Swiss at a major.

Nine - including Nick Kyrgios only two days ago, Mark Philippoussis in the 2003 Wimbledon final and Lleyton Hewitt seven times - had fallen prey to Federer in 20 straight grand slam matches over almost 20 years.

But on the same court Federer destroyed Hewitt 6-0 7-6 6-0 in the 2004 US Open final, Millman stared down the greatest player of the professional era to send the world No.2 crashing to his earliest grand slam defeat in almost four years.

It was only Federer's third defeat from 35 matches at the majors since Wimbledon two years ago.

John Millman celebrates his win over Roger Federer. (AAP)

The upset for the ages looked remote when Federer broke Millman - playing his first fourth-round match at a slam at age 29 - in the second game en route to taking the opening set.

While few gave the Brisbane baseliner a chance, Federer had full respect for Millman, having invited him to Switzerland before Wimbledon this year to prepare for the grass-court season.

But he could not have expected him to maintain such a high level for more than three and a half hours.

In addition to earning a crack at Djokovic on Wednesday for an improbable place in the semi-finals, Millman is guaranteed a $660,000 payday and a rankings rise to No.37 in the world.

Should he win, he will leapfrog Kyrgios to become Australia's new No.1.

Millman wins third set against Federer

And all this after Millman feared his career was over following two shoulder surgeries and then a groin operation last year.

The winner of the Djokovic-Millman quarter-final will play seventh-seeded 2014 champion Marin Cilic or Japanese star Kei Nishikori for a spot in Sunday's title match.

Millman is the first Australian to reach the men's quarter-finals in New York since 2001 champion Hewitt 12 years ago.

"Last time I played (Djokovic) I got three games at Queens," he said. "Let's hope for a few more.

"I'm playing some good tennis right now and Novak's an incredible player.

"He's playing such good tennis off Wimbledon and Cincinatti also. He moves incredibly well. He's another guy I've looked up to with his game style and the way he goes about it."

- with AAP

Marathon rally between Federer and Millman