Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge in his first-round match at the Australian Open, where he battled against 19-year-old Nishesh Basavareddy, an Indian-origin wildcard entrant. Basavareddy, who turned professional in December 2024, surprised everyone by taking the first set against the tennis legend. However, Djokovic regained control and secured a hard-fought victory with a scoreline of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to advance to the second round.

Despite the intense competition, Djokovic, the 37-year-old Serbian and a seven-time seeded player in the tournament, was full of praise for his young opponent. He lauded Basavareddy’s performance and his ability to challenge him on the court.

"In the end, it was great. He was the better player for a set and a half. He deserves every bit of applause he got when exiting the court," Djokovic said during his post-match interview.

Djokovic admitted that he had no prior knowledge of Basavareddy’s game until a few days before their match. "To be really honest with you, I have never seen him play up to 2-3 days ago. I didn’t know much about him," he added. The Serbian star, who had a challenging year in 2024 without a Grand Slam win but claimed Olympic gold in Paris, highlighted the unpredictable nature of such matchups.

"This kind of matchups are always tricky and dangerous. You are playing somebody who has nothing to lose. Just a very complete player, pleasantly surprised with all of his shots. Wish him all the best for the rest of his career," Djokovic remarked.

Basavareddy, a huge fan of Djokovic, displayed remarkable composure and skill in his Grand Slam debut. His parents, originally from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, moved to the United States in 1999, where Basavareddy was born and raised.

His performance in Melbourne has already made waves, showcasing his potential to compete at the highest level in tennis. Djokovic, aiming for his 11th Australian Open title, demonstrated his resilience and experience to overcome the early scare. The victory reaffirms his position as one of the favourites to clinch the title this year.

Source : DNA India