Nishesh Basavareddy discusses Gilles Cervara’s ‘big’ collaboration | ATP Tour
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Basavareddy discusses the ‘big’ collaboration of Cervara
The American discusses the relationship with the French coach
December 18, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Gilles Cervara and Nishesh Basavareddy got engaged in early December.
Written by Sam Jacot
Nishesh Basavareddy knows exactly what is at stake on Friday at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF. After splitting his first two matches of the round, the 20-year-old American heads into a must-win meeting with Justin Engel, with a semi-final hanging in the balance.
Moments of pressure are nothing new at this level, but this time Basavareddy is facing them in a heavyweight court. His first tournament partner is Gilles Cervara, one of the most respected coaches on the ATP Tour.
Cervara guided Daniil Medvedev to the 2021 US Open and No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2022. He joined forces with Basavareddy in December following his split with Medvedev in August. For Basavareddy, the move felt natural.
“My team reached out to his team after hearing about his split with Daniil,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “We just thought it would be a great fit for him with his knowledge and his mind. I’m very happy it worked out.”
The partnership represents a new challenge for both. For Cervara, it’s a return to the development process with rising talent. For Basavareddy, it’s an opportunity to accelerate his growth with someone who is already charting a road map to the top.
Early discussions between player and coach focus on the fundamentals of the game, body and long-term sustainability.
“The game is a big, big factor,” Basavareddy said of what they were working on in December. “Physically, that’s also a big area where I can continue to improve. We’re trying to build the right team around us to improve that side. I’ve put a lot of work into my career.”
Basavareddy reached the semi-finals of the ATP 250 in Auckland in January and knocked out Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open. However, he was unable to find his best form for large parts of the season, with his other tour-level wins coming in Cincinnati, Los Cabos, Winston-Salem and Hangzhou.
The couple’s short-term priorities are now clear, with a focus on conditioning and preparation for the 2026 season. Besides, the vision is expanding.
“In the beginning it’s about trying to be healthy, trying to prepare for the new season and then moving forward, just trying to be the best player I can be and see how far we can go up the ladder.”
Basavereddy knows that having a coach who has navigated the highest levels of tennis is very important. In 2019, Cervara was named ATP Coach of the Year at the ATP Awards. Medvedev claimed his first two of six ATP Masters 1000 titles that season, won the Nitto ATP Finals in 2020, claimed his first major trophy in 2021 at the US Open and reached No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2022, all under the guidance of Cervara.
“It’s huge,” said Basavareddy. “In this first year on the Tour, I learned a lot. There are definitely things I could have done differently. So going forward, it’s good to have someone who knows how to get to the top. I think that will help me a lot.”
Asked about Medvedev’s inevitable parallels, Basavareddy keeps his opinion grounded, however.
“It’s hard to say because we are completely different players,” added Basavareddy by comparison. “But I’m glad you believe in me and I believe in myself, hopefully we’ll see how far I can go.”
This week, Basavareddy returned to his familiar place in Jeddah, where he competed again last year. The American went 1-2 at the 20-and-under event in 2024 but will avoid repeating that record at this year’s event when he faces Justin Engel in his final round match on Friday.
“Last year here was an eye opener, it was my first major tournament,” said Basavareddy, a two-time ATP Challenger Tour champion. “This year it feels normal. I’m still very happy. It’s one of the biggest events we have.”
That extra familiarity comes from a full season on Tour and the lessons that came with it. Now, the number 167 player in the PIF ATP Rankings hopes to finish strong.
“I gained a lot of valuable insight and knowledge,” he said. “I definitely feel I have more experience than last year. Let’s hope that we will finish 2025 successfully.”
