Nishesh Basavareddy is the young gun who will face Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. This 19-year-old American player, of Telugu origin, is playing his first Grand Slam against one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Nishesh's parents, Muralikrishna and Sai Prasanna, are from Nellore in Andhra Pradesh, India. In 1999, the family moved to the United States. Nishesh would spend most of his life playing in California. He developed an affinity for the sport after being introduced to it by his father.
Under the guidance of American tennis star Rajiv Ram and coach Bryan Smith, Nishesh has also blossomed as a player, and he does both singles and doubles with flying colors. He won the boys' doubles at the US Open in 2022 with Ozan Baris. Nishesh also qualified for the 2024 US Open qualifying and made it to the third round. This year, as he joins the tour circuit, he entered the main draw of the Australian Open through wildcard and qualified for the 2024 Next Generation ATP Finals. Nishesh currently stands at the 133rd position in the ATP singles rankings.
Nishesh was born in the U.S., but he is a boy of Telugu heritage. He knows the language quite well, but he says that he speaks it very little. The journey from California to the global tennis stage by Nishesh Basavareddy will surely be the testimony of his dedication and talent, making him a player to watch out for in the Australian Open.
