There are moments in tennis when the crowd senses the tide turning long before the players do. And then there are moments – like the one that unfolded on a hot Wednesday afternoon in Melbourne  – when even the player in control has absolutely no idea what’s to follow. Austria’s Sebastian Ofner thought he had sealed the second qualifier at the 2026 AO against Nishesh Basavareddy. But the 20-year-old American had other plans…

Up 7-1 in the deciding super tie-break, the Austrian raised his arms, pumped his fist, and tapped the side of his head as if reminding the world of his mental edge. He strutted forward, basking in what he believed was a done deal. But the Australian Open‘s qualifying format has one brutal quirk: the third-set tie-break goes to 10, not 7. Ofner didn’t know it. And that moment of premature celebration was all Nishesh Basavareddy needed to swing open a door. Just over 10 minutes later, Ofner had lost 13-11 to the American and eventually got eliminated from qualification.

The match ended at 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11) in favor of Nishesh Basavareddy. Now, coming to his celebration… well, instead of a muted reaction, Basavareddy turned toward the crowd, placed both hands around his throat, and delivered a deliberate “choke” gesture – pointed reference to Ofner’s early celebration and the unraveling that followed. Moments later, reactions started to pour in on social media.

American tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted, “Holy crap, he lost. After Ofner’s premature celebration, Basavareddy won eight of the next nine points, then hung on to take the tiebreak 13-11. Wildest ride of the Australian Open so far; should make for some viral videos…”

Barstool Tennis didn’t hold back either, calling the whole episode “insanity.”

Painfully for Ofner, this wasn’t new territory. In 2023 at Kitzbuhel, he led Alex Molcan 6-4, 5-0… only to lose seven straight games, drop the second set, and eventually lose the match in a tiebreak. Wednesday’s meltdown felt like déjà vu, another match that slipped through his fingers just when it seemed secure.

For Nishesh Basavareddy, though, this was another showcase of the grit he’s been building on the big stage. Now, as he moves on to face Britain’s George Loffhagen in a bid to enter the main draw, remember what happened last year?

Novak Djokovic’s kind words for Nishesh Basavareddy

There aren’t many young players who get a nod of approval from Novak Djokovic before stepping on court with him. And there are even fewer who manage to rattle the 10x AO champion once the match begins. But in 2025, Nishesh Basavareddy did both. Last year, he arrived in Melbourne as a wildcard, a teenager still trying to find his place in the crowded world of rising tennis talents. And guess what? He got the chance to face the 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in his very first match.

But before the match, Djokovic was seen rating this youngster pretty highly: “I saw that he’s very quick. He’s a very talented player. He’s got great hands. He’s very dynamic. He can serve well, hit spots. Just a very complete game overall. Yeah, I mean, it’s going to be his, I guess, first time in the main draw of the Grand Slam, wild card, playing on the center court. Not much to lose. I’m sure that he is going to be really pumped to make a statement.”

Just like what he said, Nishesh Basavareddy’s fearless start in this epic battle earned him the first set against the Serbian superstar. When the American took the opening set 6-4, the arena erupted. But then, Djokovic eventually steadied the ship and won the next three sets to wrap up the match at 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

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After the match, Novak Djokovic even shared a heartfelt message for the youngster: “Well played, Nishesh Basavareddy, impressive slam debut.”

Even tennis legend Mats Wilander spoke highly of the American during his conversation on Eurosport: “First impression was brilliant. The technique was similar to Novak’s. The forehand was very similar. A better forehand than Novak had when Novak was at his age, because Novak struggled with his forehand early on. He moves well enough. He needs to get a little bit stronger. His serve, technically, I thought was good enough. So he has a bright future and another American youngster.”

If Novak Djokovic’s early praise was a prediction, Nishesh Basavareddy is already proving him right. How far do you think this young American can reach at the 2026 AO?