RIP, 'journeyman'? Millman, Roddick, Kyrgios weigh in

What's in a word? Enough that John Millman is out here sticking up for his ATP colleagues.

The Aussie was put off by a broadcaster's application of the term "journeyman" to Filip Krajinovic, the tour's No. 31 player and seeded No. 28 in this impending Australian Open. And so Millman took to—what else?—Twitter to voice his displeasure.

The thing is, Millman had high-profile company. Ranked No. 38 himself presently, he was joined in his thinking by retired No. 1 star Andy Roddick and, to a chuckling degree, current No. 47 compatriot Nick Kyrgios.

Another fellow Aussie, No. 105 James Duckworth, also replied in kind.

Merriam-Webster's definitions of "journeyman" include "an experienced reliable worker, athlete, or performer especially as distinguished from one who is brilliant or colorful." Even so, more colloquial interpretations, including from some other dictionaries, have a bit of a catty connotation. For one, dictionary.com put it as "experienced, competent, but routine."

The tennis broadcasting elite is on watch. Millman may begin naming names, or perhaps banding together with his ATP brethren to deliver Top 30 rankings of the sport's broadcasters. Now that would be a snack that goes down far better than vegemite.