As Novak Djokovic opened his latest Australian Open campaign, experience was firmly on his side. Up against Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old American making his grand slam debut, Djokovic brought 24 grand slam titles to the court, a further three to his coaching box, where new coach Andy Murray was in his corner for the first time, and an intimate knowledge of Rod Laver Arena, where he has lifted the Norman Brookes trophy on an unparalleled 10 occasions.
But youth knows no fear, and in the early stages Basavareddy, a childhood admirer of Djokovic who fashioned his game accordingly, went toe-to-toe with the Serbian seventh seed. With Djokovic struggling to find his range, the teenager showed belief, composure and an impressive array of shots to take the opening set and perhaps leave Murray wondering whether he should have stayed on the golf course.
That feeling may have intensified when Djokovic, having fired down an ace to complete a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory, gestured in irritation to his box, apparently unhappy with a technical point concerning his ball toss.
But after suffering an unexpected quarter-final loss to the returning Reilly Opelka in Brisbane 10 days ago, relief will be the dominant emotion for Djokovic, who spoke warmly of Murray’s mid-match input after capitalising on Basavareddy’s physical difficulties to prevail in in two hours and 59 minutes.
“I’m obviously thrilled to have him in my corner,” said Djokovic. “It was a little bit of a strange experience to have him courtside in my box. We played for over 20 years against each other at the highest level, and it’s great to have him on the same side of the net.
“He gave me some great advice mid-match. I think it’s really good that we have an opportunity now to have coaching allowed on the same, so we can exchange some feedback and and we can get our coaches to tell us what they see from the side of the court.
“It’s a completely different angle and perspective when you’re watching from the side, and he’s been doing really well. It’s been an enjoyable experience; hopefully we don’t stop here.”
A month into his professional career, this was a milestone experience for Basavareddy, who embraced the occasion with an alacrity that bodes well for his future. A graduate of Stanford University in his native California, he offered a cheery pre-match wave to the watching Mary Joe Fernandez, a former world No 4 whose son attends the same college, and he was quickly into his stride, competing with an intensity and intelligence that belied his inexperience.
Commanding the baseline exchanges, Basavareddy drew a string of early errors from Djokovic, kissing the lines with his forehand, deftly caressing drop shots and demonstrating assurance and athleticism in the forecourt.
“I was probably a bit too passive from the back of the court,” said Djokovic. “He was dictating the play.”
The question mark, for a player whose short career has already included three knee surgeries, concerned American’s physicality. After moving with fluidity and sharpness for the first 90 minutes, Basavareddy began to struggle with his movement, hobbling between points as cramp kicked in.
It was all the invitation Djokovic needed to haul himself back into the contest. Having steered an accurate return winner down the line to bring up his sixth break point of the evening, the 37-year-old outlasted Basavareddy in the next rally before emitting a prolonged roar that was part triumph, part relief. Rising to his feet, Murray raised a clenched fist. With Basavareddy grimacing and casting concerned looks towards his box, the outcome was never again in serious doubt.
Djokovic, who would eclipse Margaret Court as the most successful player in history with an 11th title in Melbourne, later offered warm praise for his vanquished opponent.
“I didn’t know much about him,” said Djokovic, who will next face Jaime Faria, a Portuguese qualifier ranked 125 in the world. “He’s a very complete player, he very pleasantly surprised me with all of his shots and with his fighting spirit towards the end, so I wish him all the very best for his career.”
While Djokovic was toiling on Laver, Carlos Alcaraz, the third seed, notched up a comfortable win over Alexander Shevchenko, prevailing 6-1, 67-5, 6-1 against the 77th-ranked the Kazakh. The 21-year-old Spaniard, who would become the youngest man to complete the career grand slam with a first title at Melbourne Park, suffered a brief lapse early in the second set, squandering a 3-1 lead before finishing the match strongly.
Jannik Sinner, the top seed and defending champion, also won in straight sets, defeating Nicolás Jarry of Chile 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 to claim his 15th straight grand slam win on hard courts, a record bettered only by Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Djokovic.
“It’s amazing to be next to these names, but I cannot compare myself with these players, said Sinner, who will play Tristan Schoolkate, an Australian wild card ranked 173, for a place in the third round. “They have done so many things, I am just trying to make my own little story.”
Jack Draper, the 15th seed, playing his first match since October following a hip injury, earlier came through 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 against Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
But Stefanos Tsitsipas, the 11th seed and former finalist, suffered a shock first-round loss, losing in four sets to Alex Michelsen of the United States.
“I was just trying to stay super composed out there,” said Michelsen after claiming the first top-20 win of his career 7-5, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. “I knew it was going to be a battle in the end. It’s all about the mindset.”