Michael Mmoh made an impressive comeback in the first round of the Australian Open against Viktor Troicki. The Serbian had two sets to one and served for the match in the fourth set. Even after missing out on the opportunity, former world No. 12 immediately broke in the fifth set and took the 3-0 lead. Mmoh continued to struggle to turn the tide, successfully after five sets and more than four hours.
Your reward? The chance to play against 20 times Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal.
Before the No. 177 in the world has its chance against the Spanish, ATPTour.com looks at five things to know about Mmoh.
1) He grew up in Saudi Arabia, is a citizen of the United States and Australia
Mmoh spent much of his childhood in Saudi Arabia. Geraldine O’Reilly, his mother, is an Irish nurse through which he also has Australian citizenship (more on that later). His father, former No. 105 in the world Tony Mmoh, is from Nigeria.
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2) Named after Michael Jordan, he started playing sports early
At six, while living in Saudi Arabia, Mmoh was getting up early. His father discovered him in the early hours of the morning outside, playing tennis against the wall or playing basketball. Mmoh was named after Michael Jordan, the NBA legend who played for the Chicago Bulls. At the age of nine, Mmoh was entering 18-year-old tennis tournaments and the men’s open divisions in Saudi Arabia.
3) Mmoh was transferred to the United States at age 13
The young Mmoh received a lot of attention at a young age, and this led to a major change in his life. Mmoh, then 12, won the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl Tennis Championships in Florida, and IMG Academy legendary coach Nick Bollettieri offered him a scholarship to participate in his program. The young man accepted the offer months later and made the move. He still resides in Florida today, a decade later. “I think the big thing about Michael Mmoh was his size,” said Bollettieri. “And he liked to hit the ball with the ball, and I liked that.”
Mmoh spent several years under the tutelage of Glenn Weiner, who also spent three years training Kei Nishikori. Last year, during the pandemic, Mmoh was able to practice with people like Miomir Kecmanovic and Sebastian Korda in that area.
4) He has an advantage at the Australian Open Court of Justice
Mmoh’s mother moved to Melbourne in December 2016, where several cousins also live. The American, who says the city “looks like a second home”, remembers that he visits almost every Christmas. It is no surprise that he is comfortable at the Australian Open, which takes place in Melbourne. He likes the food in particular.
“I was in New York, I was in all of Europe, I was in all of the United States. First in the world is Melbourne, ”said Mmoh. “No. 2 I would say it’s culture. People are so nice here, really welcoming. Always ready to help you and you like being in Melbourne. You never feel uncomfortable walking the streets of Melbourne. I think it’s a great advantage. ”
5) Mmoh stood out on the ATP Challenger Tour, Nadal will be the biggest test
Mmoh has 10 touring-level wins, but most of his success came on the ATP Challenger Tour. The 23-year-old is a five-time champion at that level, most recently winning in Knoxville in 2019. In that tournament, Mmoh lost just one set in six matches. He lifted his first Challenger trophy at the same event in 2016 at the age of 18.
Facing Nadal will be the biggest challenge of Mmoh’s career. He will be the second top 10 opponent he will face, joining Roberto Bautista Agut at the Australian Open last year. While Mmoh lost to the Spaniard in that match, he defeated the then No. 15 in the world Bautista Agut at the Miami Open 2018 presented by Itaú for his biggest win in the FedEx ATP Ranking.