“I knew Nishesh was going to be tough for Taylor Fritz” – World No. 42 Alex Michelsen

Following his first-round match victory at the French Open, Alex Michelsen is gearing up for a second-round clash with a very familiar face: compatriot Nishesh Basavareddy. After Basavareddy pulled off a massive upset against Taylor Fritz with a showcase of dropshots and deft touches, Michelsen addressed the media about the impending all-American matchup and their decade-long rivalry.

Recognizing the Threat

When asked about Basavareddy’s stunning first-round performance, Michelsen revealed he wasn’t entirely shocked by the result.

“Yeah, it’s going to be very interesting,” Michelsen said during his post-match press conference. “I actually thought when he was, you know, supposed to play Taylor, I thought that was going to be tough, because he’s going to use his hands, and Nishesh has very good hands, and he’s going to be a tough nut.”

Validating his opponent’s natural feel for the ball, Michelsen emphasized that this style of play is nothing new. “Yes, he’s always had the hands. He’s always been very, very talented,” he confirmed.

A Rivalry Rooted in Childhood

The upcoming Roland Garros encounter is the latest chapter in a rivalry that dates back to their earliest days on the court.

“He’s a good competitor. We played our first match together when we were probably 8 or 9 years old,” Michelsen reflected. “So, you know, it’s pretty funny we’re getting to play here at a Grand Slam. But, yeah, it’s going to be a tricky match. He’s a very, very good player, and I’m expecting it to be a very tough match.”

Their battles continued as they climbed the ranks as juniors, culminating in a major final before transitioning to the professional circuits.

“I mean, in juniors we played in the Easter Bowl Final. I got him there. Other than that, I don’t know if we’ve played any more in the juniors,” Michelsen recalled. “We played in Challengers We played at Next Gen. That’s the last time I played him. Most of the time, it’s been battles.”

(Note: While Michelsen cited the 2024 Next Gen Finals as their most recent encounter in his presser, the two actually crossed paths more recently at the 2025 ASB Classic in Auckland.)

The “Flawless” Challenger Match

One specific meeting stands out vividly in Michelsen’s memory—a pivotal 2023 clash on the ATP Challenger tour that aligned with a major career milestone.

“I remember one time, it was the week I broke top 100, I played him, and I didn’t miss a ball,” Michelsen smiled, referencing his straight sets victory over Basavareddy in the quarterfinal of the Knoxville Challenger. “We were talking about it actually not too long ago, we were laughing about it. I couldn’t miss a ball that day. Sometimes you have to do that to beat a player like that. So, yeah, it’s going to be interesting.”

Head-to-Head Preview: Michelsen vs. Basavareddy

Despite their long history, Michelsen and Basavareddy are closely matched across all professional and junior levels. Here is the complete breakdown of their past meetings: