By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 6, 2021
Jenson Brooksby dismantled John Millman 6-1, 6-2 rolling into his second straight Tour-level semifinal without surrendering a set in Washington, DC.
Photo credit: Citi Open Facebook
Jenson Brooksby's ATP 500 debut in Washington, DC is proving a profound love-hate experience.
The 20-year-old wild card loves playing on the Citi Open stage; opponents hate facing the eclectic style Brooksby brings to court.
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Today, Brooksby befuddled John Millman breaking the Aussie five times in a 6-1, 6-2 rout to roll into his second straight ATP semifinal— and reach a career milestone.
The Newport finalist has not surrendered a set reaching the Washington, DC final four in a result that propels him to a career-high No. 99 in the live rankings. Brooksby has not dropped a set knocking off two-time major finalist Kevin Anderson, 16th-seeded Frances Tiafoe, second-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime and Millman in succession.
"I don't know exactly what goes through their minds," Brooksby said. "I'm not surprising myself, but I think they, by now, people know what to expect in general, but, I mean, I think I still am surprising them. But, I mean, within myself, I know it's very doable, and I'm glad that I have been doing it so far."
It's been a rocket rise for the Sacramento native who was ranked No. 310 at the start of the year and now cracks the Top 100 winning eight of his last nine Tour-level matches. The man who arrived in Washington, DC ranked No. 130 is the lowest-ranked Citi Open semifinalist since No. 416 John Isner in 2007.
Brooksby will play fifth-seeded Jannik Sinner for a spot in Sunday's final.
The 19-year-old Sinner, who reached the Miami Open finals, defeated Stevie Johnson 6-4, 6-2 in today's second quarterfinal.
Sinner knows he's in for a tricky test against Brooksby.
"I think he's a very tricky player," Sinner said of Brooksby. "He is maybe in the best moment of his young, young career, you know, playing the best tennis. He is in confidence, really, really in confidence.
"He beat very, very great players over the week here. He had already one final on grass. He lost against Anderson. But, you know, he is very, yeah, very tricky player. I don't know exactly how he plays. We never practiced together. We didn't spoke so much. I mean, just "hi" and "how are you" around the locker room.
"Yeah, I think it's going to be a very interesting match, a very tough match. He puts a lot of balls in the court. It's very, maybe it's going to be physical."
Brooksby has a high tennis IQ and strong self-belief built on this breakthrough season that just keeps getting better.
"I think it's really just I really feel my game keep getting better in practice, I really do," Brooksby said. "And also I have gotten definitely mentally tougher this year, and it's only kept improving.
"I just really love, truly love playing in these stages. You know, no opponent will faze me. I can compete with anyone."
The 6'4" Brooksby hits a pretty pedestrian serve by ATP standards, his two-handed backhand volley looks like a stroke you'd see at the local park and he's not not a snarling, intimidating presence on court.
Scratch beneath the surface of a game Frances Tiafoe calls "pretty strange" and you'll see Brooksby is a unique stylist. He's both a problem solver and a complication creator dragging opponents into awkward positions on the court with his devious drop shot and flair for sharp angles and often punctuating points banging his versatile two-handed backhand down the line.
Brooksby threw it all at Millman showing his shrewd court sense and soft touch barging out to a 4-1 lead in both sets today.
A stretched Brooksby made a slick two-handed backhand dig near net pushing Millman into the corner and setting up a high forehand volley winner for 4-1 double-break lead 20 minutes into the match.
Mixing angles with speedier down the line drives, Brooksby broke at love to snatch the opening set in 25 minutes. Brooksby won 16 of the last 18 minutes of the first set winning 12 of 13 points played on his serve in the set.
Facing break point at 3-1 in the second set, Brooksby followed a tame drop shot with a short lob, but held his ground in the corner and blocked back Millman's smash to save break point. An ace down the middle helped the American wild card hold for 4-1.
Brooksby scored his fifth break to close a 67-minute conquest.
The man with the distinct style has drawn comparisons to players ranging from Andy Murray to Miloslav Mecir. Former No. 1 Murray praised Brooksby's play on Twitter and offered another comparison.
Informed of Murray's observation, Brooksby concurred.
"I think that's very accurate. Obviously that's great words to hear from Andy," Brooksby said. "I mean, he's been one of the best in the sport and a great guy to look up to. That means a lot. That's great words coming from him.
"I think he is right with that, because he plays a similar style, as well. It's funny, I always laugh at that, it is Florian Mayer that had the two-handed slice and volley on the guys' side. That's funny."