19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, an Indian origin American tennis player, will make his Grand Slam debut when he meets Novak Djokovic in the opening round of the Aus Open starting on Sunday, January 12.
Born on May 2, 2005, in Newport Beach, California, Basavareddy is the son of Muralikrishna and Sai Prasanna, both from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh. The couple relocated to San Francisco in 1999. Basavareddy is pursuing Data Science at Stanford University.
The 19-year-old has been making significant strides on the ATP Tour with his consistent performance, showcasing his potential as a future star in the sport.
In 2022 he won the boys' doubles title at the US Open alongside Ozan Baris. In 2024 he secured his maiden Challenger title at the Tiburon Challenger and later won the Puerto Vallarta Open, breaking into the top 150 with a ranking of world No. 139 by November.
At the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, Basavareddy defeated lucky loser Francisco Comesaña in straight sets, marking his first ATP main draw win. In the second round he overcame defending champion Alejandro Tabilo. In the quarters, he beat compatriot Alex Michelsen, becoming the youngest US male to reach a tour-level semi-final on hard court since Reilly Opelka in 2016.
In December 2024, foregoing his NCAA eligibility, he turned pro after qualifying for the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals and received a wildcard for his Grand Slam debut at the 2025 Australian Open.
Ranked 133 in the ATP singles rankings, Basavareddy is known for his right-handed play with a two-handed backhand. Standing at 1.80 metres, he combines agility with powerful groundstrokes, enabling him to compete effectively against higher-ranked opponents.