ATP Tour
Basavareddy welcomes Cervara to team as players ready for Jeddah start
Californian praises Medvedev’s former coach, who has joined him for the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, which starts Wednesday in Jeddah
December 14, 2025
Corinne Dubreuil/ATP Tour
Nishesh Basavareddy is joined in Jeddah by coach Gilles Cervara.
By ATP Staff
Three days and counting.
With the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF set to begin Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, American Nishesh Basavareddy was among the 20-and-under emerging stars who got a taste for conditions at the King Abdullah Sports City Sunday.
The Newport Beach, California, native is back for the eight-player tournament for the second year, but with coach Gilles Cervara in his box for the first time. The 20-year-old asked the Frenchman, the former longtime coach of Daniil Medvedev, to join his team at the beginning of December.
“Obviously he had a long and successful partnership with Daniil, who was a good player before they started working together, but they did a lot of great things together,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com.
“I thought that experience at the highest level could help me where I’m at in my career. It’s not just the tennis; he’s interested in all aspects. He’s diligent and professional in areas such as nutrition and fitness and that will help me.”
Croatian Dino Prizmic, a two-time ATP Challenger Tour title winner this year, practised with Spanish 19-year-old Rafael Jodar, who qualified for Jeddah after winning three Challengers in the final three months of the season. Both players are making their tournament debuts.
Belgium’s Alexander Blockx, who stands 6’4”, hit a series of crushing forehands during his session with Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a four-time Challenger Tour champion this season.
German 18-year-old Justin Engel practised with countryman and former Top 100 player Michael Kohlmann.
The draw and Day 1 schedule will be made later on Sunday.
All eight players compete on the three days of group play Wednesday through Friday, with the semi-finals Saturday and the final Sunday.
Past winners of the tournament include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
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