Who is Nishesh Basavareddy? All you need to know about 19-year-old Indian origin tennis sensation
Nishesh Basavareddy made his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open 2025, directly making it to the main draws after a phenomenal 2024. However, the American encountered a formidable opponent in the first round, facing off against the ten-time Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic.
The 19-year-old delivered a remarkable performance during his debut at the iconic Rod Laver Arena, challenging the Serbian competitor significantly and even securing the first set, which astonished both the audience and the 25-time Grand Slam champion. Nevertheless, Djokovic responded effectively in the second set, and the young player appeared to succumb to fatigue, struggling with an injury as the second set concluded.
At one point, Djokovic appeared to establish his rhythm, leading to the conclusion of the match for Nishesh Basavareddy, who exited the prestigious event with a final score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 in favor of the Serbian. This victory allowed Djokovic to maintain his aspirations for a 100th career title. Despite the 36-year-old's win, it was the young talent of Indian descent who captured the admiration of the audience.
All you need to know about Nishesh Basavareddy

Nishesh Basavareddy is a 19-year-old American tennis player with Indian ancestry. His parents relocated from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, to San Francisco in 1999. Basavareddy was born in Newport Beach, California, and his family moved to central Indiana when he was only eight years old.
At a tennis camp led by their mutual coach Bryan Smith, Basavareddy met former World Number One doubles player and American sporting icon, Rajeev Ram, who has similarities with Basavareddy. Since then, Rajeev Ram has taken on the role of mentor for the young athlete.
At the junior level, the 19-year-old reached a personal best ranking of No. 3. He won the boys’ doubles title at the 2022 Junior US Open in partnership with fellow countryman Ozan Baris. Despite having undergone two knee surgeries in 2016 and 2018, the American athlete made a remarkable return to form.
In 2024, Basavareddy clinched Challenger titles in Puerto Vallarta and Tiburon and finished runner-up at four other events. His impressive performance throughout the year led to his qualification for the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, where he recorded his first tour-level victory by overcoming China's Juncheng Shang during the group stage.
The young athlete formally declared his intention to turn professional via social media prior to the Jeddah competition. His significant progress during the previous season was highlighted by an extraordinary ascent in the ATP rankings, moving from 457 at the beginning of the year to a final position of 138.
The American commenced the 2025 calendar year on a positive note by securing a place in the main draws of both the Brisbane International and the Auckland Open. In New Zealand, he achieved the distinction of being the youngest American to reach a tour-level hardcourt semifinal since Reilly Opelka in 2016. However, he was defeated in the semifinals by the eventual champion, Gael Monfils.
Cover Credits - Tennis.com
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