AUSTRALIAN fan favourite John Millman has broken through for his maiden career ATP Tour title today, claiming the Astana Open in Nur-Sultan. The 31-year-old has been a reliable player over the years, making two previous finals, one each in the past two seasons, but fell short of a title – until now.

Milllman managed to outlast Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 7-5 6-1 to salute at the brand new ATP 250 event in Kazakhstan. The match lasted an hour and 48 minutes, with Millman standing up against fierce pressure from the 32-year-old, saving all six break points while winning three of six break point opportunities himself.

“It is incredible. I am so happy and relieved,” Millman said post-match. “I just feel very satisfied. It is just a pure moment of satisfaction… That was my third final, third time lucky 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 the 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.”

It was the third time Millman has managed to defeat Mannarino in their head-to-heads, but the first time the Australian counterpuncher had managed to do it in straight sets, breaking early in the second set and winning eight of the last nine games – including the last five – to storm to victory.

“I thought Adrian was playing great in that first set… Whenever you play Adrian Mannarino, it is always going to be a physical match,” Millman said. “He makes you work for every point and he is so stingy with his errors. “You have to be so low and moving really well because his ball is not really getting up. “He is a really good indoor hard court player.

Five of Mannarino’s six break point opportunities all came in the first set, with the Frenchman unable to capitalise off a dominant 83 per cent first serve winning record. By contrast, Millman only had the one break point in the first set which came in the final point which the Australian grabbed. Millman had won 63 and 73 per cent off his serve,  producing a 67 per cent efficiency, but took charge on Mannarino’s second serve at 47 per cent.

”I had to fight off those early break points and I really managed to win that first set against the momentum of the match,” Millman said. After that, I saw the finish line was in sight. “That was really pivotal, to fight off those break points and take that one opportunity at the end of the first set. “With that, I managed to carry the momentum throughout the match.”

Millman’s serving efficiency was not perfect, serving at a low 48 per cent in the second set, but he made up for it with his work throughout points, only dropping eight points on serve in the second set, and winning nine of 10 points off Mannarino’s second serve. The Frenchman never gave up the fight, but Millman had found the key to victory.

“If I knew before coming here that I would play the final, I would be happy with that result,” Mannarino said. “I am pretty disappointed with how I managed the final, especially with my emotions, but overall this is still a good week. “Congratulations to John who really played tough today, he was fighting so well and he deserved the title.”

Millman’s victory saw him move up seven spots into number 38 in the world while Mannarino moved up three spots to 36th. If the Australian is able to have a good summer – including at this week’s ATP Masters 1000 in Paris – leading into his home nation’s Grand Slam, it is not beyond the possibilities of being seeded at the Melbourne Park event. Millman takes on Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the first round at Paris with the red-hot Alexander Zverev waiting in the Round of 16. Mannarino takes on another Serbian Dusan Lajovic after 13th seed Grigor Dimitrov – Mannarino’s initial opponent – had to withdraw from the event.

Picture: Getty Images