5 unknown facts about Nishesh Basavareddy, the American set to make life difficult for Novak Djokovic in Australian Open 1R

Nishesh Basavareddy is set to make his Grand Slam debut at the Australian Open 2025. It is going to be a memorable debut for him as he will take on 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic in the first round. The teenager will get to play on the biggest court, the Rod Laver Arena, on his Major debut given his opponent.

Basavareddy made his debut on the ATP Tour at this year's Brisbane International. He came through the qualifying rounds and gave Gael Monfils a tough time before losing to him in three sets. Had he beaten the Frenchman, then he would've faced Djokovic in the second round.

Basavareddy registered his career-best result thus far with a semifinal showing at this week's ASB Classic. He toppled defending champion Alejandro Tabilo en route to the semifinals, where he was shown the door by Monfils for the second week in a row.

Nevertheless, he became the youngest American man to make a semifinal on hardcourts since Reilly Opelka in 2016. As Basavareddy prepares for the biggest match of his career so far, here are five relatively unknown facts about the 19-year-old:

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#5 - Nishesh Basavareddy opted to turn pro instead of playing tennis at Stanford

Nishesh Basavareddy at the ASB Classic 2025. (Photo: Getty)

Basavareddy was set to be a part of the tennis team at Stanford University. However, he decided not to follow the college route and turned pro last December. He tasted a lot of success on the Challenger circuit towards the end of 2024, and won two titles from five finals since September.

That may have played a part in his decision to turn pro. His strong run at the Challengers also secured him a spot in the Next Gen ATP Finals, where he recorded his maiden win on the ATP Tour. Having reached the semifinals in Auckland, just his second event on the main tour, his decision to turn pro is turning out to be the right one.

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#4 - Nishesh Basavareddy cites today's top players Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as his inspiration

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at the Six Kings Slam 2024. (Photo: Getty)

Sinner and Alcaraz were touted as the future of tennis since they were teenagers. Both have since fulfilled that promise and are dominating the tour at the moment, sweeping all four Majors titles between them last year.

Basavareddy also knew that these two would achieve great things. He saw Sinner and Alcaraz going toe-to-toe with each other at a Challenger tournament back in 2019, and knew that he wanted to play like them as well. Fast forward to now, he's going to be their peer on the tour, and is likely to get an opportunity to compete against them in the coming months.

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#3 - Rajeev Ram has been backing Nishesh Basavareddy for over a decade

Rajeev Ram (L) at the US Open 2022. (Photo: Getty)

Ram, a former World No. 1 and four-time Major champion in doubles, has been guiding Basavareddy for more than a decade. They first bumped into each other at a tennis camp which was being conducted by their mutual coach, Bryan Smith.

Basavareddy was only eight years old at that time. Ram realized his potential and has provided him with support and guidance since then. The 40-year-old is one of the most accomplished doubles players of his generation, and has won 31 titles during his career so far.

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#2 - Nishesh Basavareddy got his first taste of the pro tour at the ATP Finals 2023

Nishesh Basavareddy at the Next Gen ATP Finals 2025. (Photo: Getty)

While Basavareddy has only begun to compete alongside the very best on the ATP Tour, he brushed shoulders with them less than two years ago at the ATP Finals 2023. The American youngster got an opportunity to be present at the year-end championships as a sparring partner.

Djokovic, Sinner, and Alcaraz were among the elite eight competing at that year's ATP Finals. There's plenty to learn from them even during a practice session, and Basavareddy would've been quite grateful for such a massive opportunity at the start of his career.

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#1 - Nishesh Basavareddy's ultimate idol is Juan Martin del Potro

Juan Martin del Potro at the French Open 2019. (Photo: Getty)

Despite being plagued by numerous injuries since the start of his career, del Potro managed to carve out a name for himself. His resilience led to him making one comeback after another, until his body finally reached a breaking point. He won 22 career titles, including his only Major crown at the US Open 2009.

Aside from his achievements, del Potro's ability to bounce back time after time after his setbacks made Basavareddy a huge fan. The American also underwent a couple of knee surgeries in his teens, so he's familiar with the aftermath of a devastating injury. However, he will be keen to avoid recurring physical setbacks in the future while following in the footsteps of his idol.