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Fresh off a semi-final run at the ATP 250 in Auckland, Nishesh Basavareddy earned entry into the Australian Open with a main draw wildcard to make his Grand Slam debut.
Nishesh Basavareddy shakes hands with Novak Djokovic at Australian Open (AP)
US tennis player, Nishesh Basavareddy, surprised fans by winning the first set against Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open 2025. The 19-year-old pulled off a major upset, having broken Djokovic early in the first set. Nishesh went on to win the set 6-4. But, Nishesh failed to hold onto the momentum as the Serbian great survived the early scare and won the Australian Open first-round fixture 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. Irrespective of the outcome, the match became a memorable outing for Nishesh, who reportedly has a photo of Djokovic as his WhatsApp profile picture. Following his victory, Djokovic was told about this aspect. Reacting, the 37-year-old said with a smile, as per Talksport, “I don’t know what to say to that, to be honest. You know, I try not to think about those particular things when I’m on the court, but I do appreciate the support and appreciation.”
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“I’m sure we’ll see a lot of him in the future,” Novak Djokovic added.
Fresh off a semi-final run at the ATP 250 in Auckland, Nishesh Basavareddy earned entry into the Australian Open with a main draw wildcard to make his Grand Slam debut. Having turned professional just last month, he has achieved a historic feat. He had qualified for the last four of the ASB Classic and became the youngest American to reach a tour-level semi-final on hard courts. He also became just the third American in Challenger history (since 1978) to earn more than 40 wins in a single season.
Nishesh Basavareddy won his maiden Challenger-level title in California in October. He was a runner-up at two more Challenger events. Nishesh had an impressive 2024 season on the ATP Challenger Tour.
Nishesh Basavareddy, along with Ozan Baris, won the Boys’ Doubles title at the US Open in 2022. Born in May 2005, in Newport Beach, California, Nishesh spent two years at Stanford University. He qualified for the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals, where he earned his maiden ATP victory.
Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Novak Djokovic will next face Jaime Faria at the Australian Open. A triumph at the Australian Open this time will enable Djokovic to claim a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
