Matthew Ebden hands over his trophy to the ballkids for some photos at his recent tournament win in Canberra. (Photo by Rob Keating, http://photos.keatingmedia.com.au)
A few weeks ago John Millman and Matt Ebden were both in Canberra for the Apis Canberra International. For Ebden he tasted success as he went on to claim the title and hit 100 on the ATP tour rankings. For Millman, it was a tournament of disappointment where he was forced to withdraw due to a shoulder injury.
Now they both find themselves in a semifinal at the Dunlop Srixon World Challenge event at Toyota. This is an ATP Challenger Tour event with $7,200 US and 80 ranking points up for grabs if they can win the title.
Ebden has advanced to the semi in fine form and is yet to drop a set, and in the quarterfinal, he easily defeated Duckhee Lee from Korea 6-3,6-0. In the semifinal, he will face Polish player, Hubert Hurkacz.
John Millman talking to Wally Masur at the Apis Canberra International where Millman was forced to watch from the sidelines due to injury
Millman who has struggled in 2017 after hitting his career high ranking of 60 in May of 2016. He underwent groin surgery in February and is slowly working his way back into the top 100 and just last month in Vietnam he reached the final of the Hung Thinh Vietnam Open where he lost 6-4, 6-4 to Mikhail Youzhny. The 48 points he earned by reaching the final took his ranking from 218 to 188.
At the event in Toyota, Millman started well by defeating Japan’s Yuga Tashiro 6-3, 6-2. He then had a tough battle against another Japanese player where he defeated Yasutaka Uchiyama 7-6(5), 6-7(11), 7-6(9). In the quarterfinals, Millman accounted for fellow Australian Max Purcell 7-5, 6-2. Millman faces in-form Frenchman Calvin Hemery. Just last week in Kobe, Hemery defeated Ebden in the round of 16 and Millman in the quarterfinals in identical scores of 6-4, 6-3. Hemery fell short in the final losing to countryman Stephane Robert.
Hemery has been busy knocking off Australians at this event. In the opening round he accounted for Alex Bolt in straight sets. In round two he defeated Bradley Mousley, and in the quarterfinals he defeated Andrew Whittington. If Hemery defeats Millman in the semifinal and then faces Ebden he would then have the chance to defeat an Australian player in each of his matches at this tournament.
