Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old American tennis player with Indian roots, is set to face Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Australian Open.
Moments after reaching his first ATP semifinal at the Auckland Classic on Thursday (9), Basavareddy named Djokovic as his favorite player and revealed he has modeled his game after the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
The matchup is a dream-come-true scenario for Basavareddy, who rallied to defeat Alex Michelsen 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the Auckland Classic—a key warm-up event for the Grand Slam.
Speaking after his victory, the teenager said, “My favorite has always been Djokovic. I’ve looked up to a lot of different players and modeled my game after a lot of players, but he’s been my favorite.”
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While his strong return game has drawn comparisons to Djokovic, Basavareddy has established his own reputation on the ATP Challenger Tour, winning two titles and reaching four additional finals last season.
These achievements, coupled with his steady rise in the rankings, prompted the Stanford University student to turn professional in December 2024.
Ranked 133rd in the world, Basavareddy has already made waves by becoming the youngest American to reach a tour-level hardcourt semifinal since Reilly Opelka in 2016. Reflecting on his milestone, he said, “It means a lot. This is one of my first tour events, and to make a deep run gives me a lot of confidence going forward. Hopefully, I can keep pushing on.”
Before his Australian Open debut, Basavareddy is focusing on a rematch against Gael Monfils. Monfils, a seasoned player on the ATP Tour, defeated him in the opening round at Brisbane last week.
“I’m the underdog. These guys have more pressure and more points to defend. I’m playing loose and free, so that helps me a lot,” he remarked. Basavareddy has already turned heads with his upset victory over defending champion Alejandro Tabilo in Auckland’s second round.
The youngster’s success has also brought newfound attention from his loved ones. “I’ve been getting a lot of messages. This is the first time a lot of my friends and family are seeing me play on TV, so it’s something new,” he shared.
As Basavareddy gears up to face Djokovic, his idol’s coach, Andy Murray, has shared insights into his role. Murray, who joined Djokovic’s coaching team in November 2024, emphasized his willingness to handle any on-court outbursts from the Serbian star. “I know it’s not easy out there, and it’s stressful.
At times, he’s going to want to vent towards his team. Provided he’s giving his best effort, I’m absolutely fine with him expressing himself how he wants,” said Murray, Djokovic’s former rival.
With his idol on the other side of the net, Basavareddy is ready to showcase how much he has learned and take his game to the next level.
