US Open 2020: John Millman vs Frances Tiafoe preview, head-to-head & prediction

Match details

Fixture: John Millman vs Frances Tiafoe

Date: 3 September 2020

Tournament: US Open 2020

Round: Second Round (Round of 64)

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York, USA

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Outdoor hardcourt

Prize money: $39,024,000

Match timing: 1.30 pm EDT, 11 pm IST

Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel / ESPN | India - Star Sports / Hotstar

John Millman vs Frances Tiafoe preview

Frances Tiafoe

2018 quarterfinalist and Roger Federer-slayer John Millman takes on American Frances Tiafoe for a place in the third round at the 2020 US Open.

The Australian made a fine start to the season as he won both his matches at the inaugural ATP Cup before doing likewise in Auckland en route to the quarterfinals. In the third round of the Australian Open, he almost stunned Federer for the second time in as many major meetings.

Millman moved to within two points of victory in the fifth set before the six-time champion fought back with six consecutive points to avoid an early exit.

In his first competitive match in six months at the Cincinnati Masters last week, John Millman beat Adrian Mannarino in the opening round before falling to his American namesake John Isner in a third-set tiebreak.

For a place in the third round at Flushing Meadows this year, the Australian will take on another American, Frances Tiafoe who won only two matches all year before arriving at the tournament.

The young American went down to Andy Murray in his Cincinnati Masters opener last week before beating Italian veteran Andreas Seppi in four sets to book a second-round rendezvous with Millman.

John Millman vs Frances Tiafoe head-to-head

John Millman has a perfect 2-0 head-to-head record against his second-round opponent Frances Tiafoe.

In the pair's first meeting in the Round of 32 at 2017 Atlanta, John Millman needed a third-set tiebreak win to get past the American. Two years later, when the duo met again in the opening round in Sydney, Millman again needed to go the distance before quelling the challenge of Tiafoe.

John Millman vs Frances Tiafoe prediction

John Millman will look to extend his perfect head-to-head record against Frances Tiafoe.

John Millman has won only six matches at the US Open, with four of them coming during his run to the last eight in 2018 after he upset Roger Federer in the fourth round.

Last year, though, the Australian fell to eventual winner Rafael Nadal in the first round.

Tiafoe, however, has crossed the first-round hurdle at the US Open in both his last two appearances at the tournament.

John Millman is a counterpuncher who likes to play from the baseline and rarely ventures to the forecourt.

With his American opponent also being of the same ilk, a grueling baseline battle is likely to ensue with free points at a premium for both players. However, Tiafoe has a powerful first-serve and forehand that could cause damage to his higher-ranked opponent.

Nevertheless, John Millman's superior big-match pedigree should see him through to the next round.

Prediction: John Millman to win in five sets.