MELBOURNE: How much spice does Nishesh Basavareddy enjoy in his food? The Indian-American tennis player, with roots in Hyderabad and Nellore, answered with a wide grin. He leaned on the adverb for strong emphasis. "Very," he said firmly. Think fiery Guntur red chilli chicken or robust Nellore fish curry. That same intense level of spice reflects in his tennis game too.
A Thrilling Five-Set Battle
World number 242 Nishesh Basavareddy delivered a scorching performance at Melbourne Park on Tuesday. The twenty-year-old, who loves spicy food and Tollywood films, has been grinding through the Australian Open tournament. His journey started in the qualifying rounds. There, he staged an incredible comeback from 1-7 down in the decisive match tie-break against Austria's Sebastian Ofner.
In the first round of the main draw, Basavareddy faced another tough test. He met Australian Chris O'Connell on a relatively cool day. The qualifier rallied impressively from two sets to one down. He sealed his maiden Grand Slam match victory, closing out his first ever five-setter at the ANZ Arena.
Stanford Graduate Turns Pro
Basavareddy studied data science at Stanford University for two years. He turned professional in December 2024. Against the tour regular from Sydney, he took the fight aggressively to his opponent. The seasoned thirty-one-year-old O'Connell tried to make the match physical. The younger challenger aimed to shorten points. He stayed fearless during big moments. Basavareddy wanted to prove his qualifying form was not just a one-week spike.
The Aussie, encouraged by the show-court crowd, faltered in the eighth game of the fifth set. He was serving at 3-4, 40-15. Basavareddy seized the opportunity. Taking the ball early and swinging freely, he hunted quick points in a drawn-out game. The Indian-American reeled off the next eight points decisively. He clinched a hard-fought 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-7 (3), 6-2, 6-3 victory in four hours and eleven minutes.
Next Challenge: Karen Khachanov
This significant win sets up a second-round meeting with world number 18 Karen Khachanov. The Russian player beat Basavareddy in the first round of the US Open previously. The upcoming match promises another exciting contest.
Basavareddy hails from Carmel, Indiana. His father Murali Reddy works in the tech industry. His mother Sai Prasanna is a homemaker. During the third set, he had a brief run-in with some home fans. However, he downplayed the exchange afterwards.
"It was a great atmosphere, but some kids were just saying stuff, so I asked them to calm down," Basavareddy explained. He referred to a moment in the third set tie-break when he showed irritation. "It was all good, they were respectful afterwards. The court was packed from start to finish. It is really nice playing in front of a crowd. In college in the United States, it is much worse at times."
Noticeable Improvements in Game
Observers noted subtle but significant differences in Basavareddy's playing style. This applies not just to Tuesday's match but through the qualifiers too. Compared to last year, his first professional season, the twenty-year-old has evolved. He no longer focuses only on winning points. Now, he finds smart ways to stay competitive throughout the match.
New Coach Gilles Cervara
Basavareddy is playing his first tournament under French coach Gilles Cervara. Cervara previously coached Daniil Medvedev. "He's diligent and keen on all the details," Basavareddy said about his new coach. "I think that's one thing I've already picked up a lot on. Whether it's warm-ups, fitness, pre-match rituals, all that sort of stuff. Mentally, how to prepare for a match. Also managing a match. I'm really happy with the way I have competed in the last couple matches. That's due to him as well."
"I was looking for a coach to start travelling with," he added. "After he split from Daniil after the US Open, we shot him a message. Luckily, he was interested too. I'm glad it worked out. He obviously has a lot of experience. So I thought that would be very useful for me at this stage of my career."
Other Matches on Tuesday
On the same day, top players displayed strong form. Two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced when his opponent Hugo Gaston retired due to illness. Gaston was trailing 2-6, 1-6. American ninth seed Taylor Fritz stopped Frenchman Valentin Royer 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
Nishesh Basavareddy's spicy journey at the Australian Open continues. Fans eagerly await his next match against Karen Khachanov.
