The tennis world is in a twist trying to pronounce Nishesh Basavareddy, too many vowels for the vocal tract maybe. The 19-year-old Indian-American, who plays his idol Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Australian Open on Monday, has grabbed eyeballs, as much for his opponent, as for his own recent run.
Basavareddy, who started the 2024 season ranked No. 457, when studying Data Science in Stanford University, is now at a career-high No.107 in the Live Rankings, courtesy his maiden charge into a Tour-level semifinal, last week in Auckland.
The Carmel, Indiana-based teen learnt he had drawn the 24-time major winner Djokovic when in Auckland.
“I wasn’t planning on knowing the AO draw until after the tournament,” Basavareddy said, pointing to the fact that he was still in the draw in Auckland. “My brother told me, you are going to see it all over social media anyway, and so he told me. I was really happy, really excited! It’s a great draw to play someone like that, on one of the biggest courts in the world, that was my first reaction.”
Basavareddy’s analytical brain is fully switched on when watching tennis, most likely on every gadget he owns. The 5 ft 11′ pro remembers watching the 2017 Australian Open final where Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal, as well as a good number of Djokovic’s wins in Melbourne Park.
“I started watching tennis and watching (Djokovic) about the same time, when I was like 6 or 7 years old,” Basavareddy said. “He has always been my favorite player. Last week in Brisbane, I was a match away from playing him and I was a little disappointed I didn’t get him there.”
The thing Basavareddy most admires about the Serb is how Djokovic maximized his career. “He has taken a holistic approach to his game, with diet and all that sort of stuff,” he says. “That’s been really cool to learn from and for younger players, get inspiration from, to be the best they can be.”
Basavareddy, of a light build and quick feet, has tangoed briefly with the gluten-free diet. “I think he’s superhuman, some of that stuff like he didn’t eat chocolate for two years or something, I don’t think that’s something a lot of people can do, but definitely an inspiration,” he said.
Basavareddy, who clinched the USTA wildcard into the Australian Open, picks his return game as his biggest strength. That probably comes from a combination of watching his idol as much as his own ability to read play as if it were a graphic novel, so much so that it became a joke on the junior tour, comparing his play with that of Djokovic. “I think there are some similarities, but he’s obviously the greatest player,” he says, “so there’s a long way to go.”
The 19-year-old watched Djokovic’s first round match last year, when Croat teenager Dino Prizmic took a set off him.
“I remember watching that match at school last year,” he said, “Dino played really well, he’s my age, I grew up with him in the juniors. Matches like that definitely give me hope that it (first round) is a good time to catch a top player (in a Grand Slam).”
When he steps onto the Rod Laver Arena for the first night match on Monday, the 19-year-old would like his own dance moves to speak.
Djokovic on playing Basavareddy
“I don’t know much about him. I watched him play (Thursday, Auckland) for the first time. He’s very quick, very talented. He’s got great hands. He can serve well, hit spots. Just a very complete game overall. It’ll be his first time in the main draw of a Grand Slam, wild card, playing on Rod Laver Arena, not much to lose. He is going to be really pumped to make a statement.”