Nishesh Basavareddy welcomes Gilles Cervara to his team as they prepare for the Jeddah stop of the Next Gen ATP Finals. Cervara, renowned for guiding Daniil Medvedev, has joined Basavareddy’s setup for the event that kicks off in Jeddah on Wednesday. The Newport Beach, California native, 20, is back for a second appearance at the eight-player, under-21 showcase, and this time he does so with Cervara in his corner for the first time since the collaboration began in early December.
“Cervara’s success with Medvedev is well documented,” Basavareddy explained. “He reached the top levels with him, and I believed his experience could benefit me at this stage of my career. It’s not just about the tennis; he’s invested in all aspects of performance. He’s meticulous and professional about nutrition and fitness, and that will help me.”
Other participants in the event include Croatian Dino Prizmic, a two-time ATP Challenger Tour champion this year, who practiced with Rafael Jodar of Spain, a 19-year-old who earned his spot in Jeddah by winning three Challengers in the final three months of the season. Both Prizmic and Jodar are making their tournament debuts.
Belgian rising star Alexander Blockx, who stands 6’4”, spent time during a session hammering forehands against Norwegian Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, a four-time Challenger Tour champion this season.
Germany’s 18-year-old Justin Engel worked out with his fellow German and former Top 100 player Michael Kohlmann.
The official draw and Day 1 schedule will be announced later on Sunday.
The format features eight players who will compete in three days of group play from Wednesday to Friday, with the semi-finals on Saturday and the final on Sunday.
Previous champions of the event include Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
View the playing field (https://www.nextgenatpfinals.com/en/players/singles)
