Nishesh Basavareddy impressed everyone on the iconic Rod Laver Arena, putting a legend like Novak Djokovic in trouble in the first round of the Australian Open. The young American talent has shown that he has great talent and that he can become a leading player if he continues to improve.

Basavareddy entered the court without any reverential fear against the ten-time champion of this tournament and won the first set, surprising Nole with his solutions from the baseline and saving all the break points the Serb had.

The young American had a physical decline in the middle of the second set and – from that moment – the inertia shifted to the side of the 24-time Grand Slam champion. The 37-year-old from Belgrade raised his level in the second half of the match and prevailed in four sets, but Nishesh received plenty of applause when he greeted the crowd.

Basavareddy impressed everyone

It was not easy to unleash a performance of this type in such an iconic stadium and against a player who has made tennis history. Basavareddy can be really proud of himself and there is a feeling that his rise is only just beginning.

In his press conference after the match, the 19-year-old American expressed his feelings and revealed what makes Novak so special: “When I saw the draw for the first time, I immediately thought it would be a fantastic experience.

Djokovic does everything well on the tennis court and has a really excellent serve. The serve is perhaps the shot he has improved the most during his career. Nole is a legend of the sport and I can learn a lot of things from him, especially in terms of solidity. I learned a lot from today’s match. His greatest skill? He has the ability to make you play an extra shot every time. The first set showed me that I’m on the right track, but I have to improve several things.”

The 24-time Grand Slam champion complimented his opponent both at the end of the match and during his press conference. Nole said the American ace can indeed become a top player if he continues to work hard.