Who is Nishesh Basavareddy? The 21-year-old man of Indian origin ousted Taylor Fritz at the French Open
Nishesh Basavareddy, a 21-year-old wild card from India, stunned seventh seed Taylor Fritz 7-6(5), 7-6(5), 6-7(9), 6-1 in the first round of the French Open on Sunday to seal the biggest win of his career on his main draw debut at Roland Garros.
Fritz, who only returned to action last week in Geneva after spending two months out with a chronic knee problem, struggled to find a rhythm against fearless 21-year-old court player Suzanne Lenglen.
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The opening set remained even before Basavareddy prevailed in a thrilling tiebreak. Fritz responded aggressively in the second set, but the world No.148 broke early and repeatedly used lunges and changes of pace to disrupt the higher-ranked American.
Basavareddy stayed level in another tight tiebreak to move two sets ahead and leave Fritz on the brink of a second consecutive first-round exit at Roland Garros.
However, it was Basavareddy’s composure on his Roland Garros debut in the main draw that sealed victory and left fans on their feet chanting his name at the end of an entertaining clash.
“I am very happy to have done it after losing the third set…thanks to everyone,” said Basavareddy. “All the players are playing their best in these tournaments and it means the world to me today.”
NISHESH BASAVAREDDY STUNS TAYLOR FRITZ
A significant and characteristic victory for the young and mature world 156
Back to Back First round of trips in Paris for Fritz pic.twitter.com/epyqAIeviO— Barstool Tennis (@StoolTennis) May 24, 2026
After running away from a tight opening set in a swinging tiebreak, the 28-year-old fired in the second frame only to surrender an early break as Basavareddy mixed up his game with perfect drop shots to trouble his compatriot.
Fritz was soon staring at back-to-back first-round defeats at Roland Garros when Basavareddy unleashed a powerful serve at the end of the second set tiebreak to double his lead in the match.
The third set went to 12 games and Fritz gave a loud shout when he won the tiebreak after saving a match point, but Basavareddy was not to be denied his first top 10 win and took control of the fourth set to finish the job.
“I knew I was playing at a high level,” Basavareddy added. “If I had continued I would have had more chances and at the beginning of the fourth set I was strong. I think it was the best set I have ever played.”
Next up for Basavareddy is a second-round clash with Alexander Shevchenko or Alex Michelsen.
WHO IS NISHESH BASAVAREDDY?
Nishesh Basavareddy was born in Newport Beach, California, in 2005 to Indian parents Sai Prasanna and Muralikrishna Basavareddy. Originally from Nellore, Andhra Pradesh, his parents moved to the United States in 1999 before eventually settling in Indiana due to professional commitments.
Basavareddy grew up alongside his elder brother Nishanth in a household deeply involved in tennis. Their father introduced both sons to the sport at an early age, and Nishesh quickly became one of the most promising juniors in American tennis.
He trained under coach Bryan Smith and also received guidance from former world number one doubles player Rajeev Ram, who remains one of his mentors.
Basavareddy enjoyed an impressive junior career, climbing to No. 3 in the world junior rankings. In 2022, he won the boys’ doubles title at the Junior US Open alongside compatriot Ozan Baris.
However, his rise was not without obstacles. Basavareddy underwent knee surgeries in 2016 and 2018, interruptions that temporarily slowed his development while he rebuilt his game and fitness.
The 2024 season marked a major breakthrough in his professional career. Basavareddy won Challenger titles in Puerto Vallarta and Tiburon while also finishing second in four other Challenger events.
He reached the top 200 in September 2024 after reaching the final of the LTP Men’s Open before winning his first Challenger title in Tiburon, defeating compatriot Eliot Spizzirri in the final.
Good performances at the Champaign Challenger and the Puerto Vallarta Open helped him reach the top 150 by November 2024.
Basavareddy also qualified for the 2024 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah, where he recorded his first win at the ATP level, defeating China’s Juncheng Shang. After qualifying for the tournament, he announced he was turning pro and ending his NCAA eligibility.
Before joining the ATP Tour full-time, Basavareddy spent two years at Stanford University, balancing academics with college tennis and starring in several major matches for the university.
His ATP ranking climbed from 457th at the start of 2024 to 138th by the end of the season, underscoring the extent of his progress.
Basavareddy carried that form into 2025. He qualified for the main draw of the Brisbane International after wins over Borna Gojo and former top 10 player Lucas Pouille in qualifying before losing to Gal Monfils in three sets.
A week later in Auckland, he defeated Francisco Comesana, defending champion Alejandro Tabilo and compatriot Alex Michelsen to reach his first ATP semi-final. The run made him the youngest American since Reilly Opelka in 2016 to reach an ATP semi-final on hard court.
Basavareddy made his Grand Slam debut at the 2025 Australian Open after receiving a wild card to push past Novak Djokovic in the opening round. The Indian-born youngster won the first set before eventually losing in four sets, earning praise for his fearless display against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
He later qualified for ATP events in Acapulco and Indian Wells and continued to improve on the Challenger circuit.
Basavareddy broke into the ATP top 100 in June 2025 ahead of Wimbledon and also appeared in the main draw of the US Open later that season.
In 2026, he earned a wild card into the French Open after winning the USTA Roland Garros Wild Card Challenge. Victory over Taylor Fritz in Paris is expected to further accelerate his rise on the ATP Tour.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
May 25, 2026 0:57 AM IST
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