Ever since the 10-point match tiebreak was introduced at all four Grand Slams, we’ve seen it. Players celebrating when they get to seven, thinking they’ve won the match. It’s only natural, given how many have spent a lifetime playing nothing other than first-to-seven tiebreaks for their career.
And it was only natural on Day 3 of Australian Open qualifying, as Austrian Sebastian Ofner got caught celebrating at 7-1 in the match tiebreak with American Nishesh Basavareddy. What happened next was what really makes this story spectacular. Ofner blew the lead and lost the match 4-6 6-4 7-6 13-11.
And Basavareddy gave him the choke sign before he sent him away. Can’t make this stuff up.
“I kept believing,” Basavareddy said, According to ausopen.com.
“After I won that next point [at 1-7] I was like – generally when that happens, you start overthinking like, ‘Oh, I thought I already won the match, through to the next round’. That definitely gave me a little bit of hope.”
Given how cold Basavareddy’s celebration was, the handshake was quite friendly. Perhaps Ofner didn’t see the gesture. See the (rough) footage below of match point, and of Ofner’s premature celebration.
Basavareddy, 21, will face George Loffhagen of Great Britain in the final round of qualifying.
