ASB Classic: Nishesh Basavareddy stuns with win over defending champ Alejandro Tabilo

Match-winner Nishesh Basavareddy of the US (right) consoles Alejandro Tabilo of Chile. Photo / Photosport

Every so often at the ASB Classic, you get the sense you are witnessing the start of something special.

That was the case with Ben Shelton in 2023 – when the American came here as world No 92 – and 79th-ranked Jannik Sinner in 2020. And definitely with Rafael Nadal (48) in 2004, as the 17-year-old bounced and blazed across centre court.

No one is suggesting that American Nishesh Basavareddy will be as good as the above trio but there is no doubt about his trajectory.

The world No 138 is on his way up – and fast. There has already been a bit of talk about the 19-year-old and he lived up to the expectation on Wednesday, with a nerveless performance to eliminate defending champion and world No 23 Alejandro Tabilo in the second round.

The second seed didn’t play badly – not at all – but Basavereddy was too good when it counted, prevailing 6-4 5-7 6-4 across almost two-and-a-half hours in the second round. It was a remarkable effort, against the 2024 king of these courts.

Basavereddy, who was born in India, moving to the US aged 8, only turned professional last December, after two years at Stanford University. This time last year he was ranked 457 and Tuesday was his only his third match against a top 50 player.

But you wouldn’t have known.

Basavereddy mixed up power with precision – with some outrageous drop shots and angles and served big. He incurred a time violation, after an argument with the umpire over an extended bathroom break, but quickly settled. And he couldn’t convert at a number of opportunities – as Tabilo defended 11 of 13 break points – but never got frustrated.

“I just try to play tennis like it’s any other match,” said Basavereddy of his approach. “Obviously, you don’t play in front of a crowd like this every day, but I just try to go back to all my previous matches and draw some confidence from that.”

But he was thrilled with the result.

“It means a lot,” said Basavareddy. “It shows me that I have a level to play on tour and hopefully I can keep racking up wins like this, so my rank will go up and get more confidence.”

Basavareddy’s ascent started last September, in a remarkable stretch on the Challenger Tour, when he won 28 of 34 matches across two months, including two titles, before he decided to go fulltime on tour.

“I guess you never know how it’ll be against top 30, top 20 players, but I felt like I was getting a lot of wins and I was ready to test myself,” said Basavareddy.

Coming here was a bonus, after he was granted an Australian Open wildcard, which meant he didn’t have to play qualifying in Melbourne this week. He has made the most of it, reaching the quarter-finals from qualifying. The progress here will increase the steady hype – but he doesn’t seem to mind.

“You just try to brush that off and focus on the process,” said Basavareddy. “Everybody goes at a different pace, so I just try to go on my own pace.”

Wednesday’s match was a cracker. The first set was tight, with Tabilo saving four break points at 3-3, before succumbing on the fifth, with Basavareddy producing an amazing drop shot, off balance, from behind the baseline, into the wind. Basavareddy clung to his narrow advantage – despite immense pressure – with a knack of landing the ball just inside the lines. At 3-5, Tabilo fended off four set points – with some big aces – ahead of an epic 10th game. The American was down 0-40, before reeling off five straight points to take the set.

Games went on serve in the second set until 5-6, when Basavareddy was broken after a loose service game. Both players had chances in the third set – as the quality peaked – before Tabilo ceded on serve at 4-4. The Chilean saved a match point with a superb crosscourt forehand – but it proved to be his last stand, as Basavareddy’s ninth ace sealed the match.

Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.