“When people disperse, it can’t be just one reason; there must be many,” Daniil Medvedev said during the Asian swing after calling off his eight-year partnership with coach Gilles Cervara. The breakup raised eyebrows across the tennis world, considering everything the duo had accomplished together. Since then, Medvedev has been working with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke. Meanwhile, his 44-year-old coach has also turned the page, finding a new mentee.

That new mentee is American Nishesh Basavareddy, who opened his 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF campaign with a hard-fought four-set win over Dino Prizmic on Wednesday in Jeddah.

“I feel great,” the 20-year-old said afterward. “Getting the first win in a round-robin is huge, and trying to win in as few sets as possible is good, so I am pleased to get it done in four.”

And with Cervara now in his box for the first time, the 20-year-old already delivered, picking up his first tour-level win since Hangzhou in mid-September.

Just hours ago, Tennis TV jumped on X to share a clip of Gilles Cervara seated in the stands, closely watching his new mentee in action. The post was captioned “Team Basavareddy 🧠” and came with the announcement that “Daniil Medvedev’s long-time coach Gilles Cervara joins the young American’s corner,” a move that quickly caught the attention of fans.

The partnership signals a fresh challenge for both sides. For Cervara, it marks a return to the grind of developing a rising talent from the ground up. And for Basavareddy, it’s an opportunity to fast-track his growth under the guidance of a coach who’s already helped chart a path to the very top of the sport.

“My team reached out to his team after we heard about his split with Daniil,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com in Jeddah. “We felt it could be a great fit with all his experience and his mindset, and I’m really glad it worked out.” The connection came together quickly, with both sides seeing clear upside in joining forces at this stage of Basavareddy’s career.

Interestingly, early talks between the player and coach have centered on building a strong foundation, from on-court patterns to physical development and long-term sustainability.

“The game is a huge, huge aspect,” Basavareddy said of their December work. “Physically, that’s also a big area I can continue to improve in. We’re trying to build the right team around us to get better in that area. I’ve also put a lot of work into my serve.”

In the short term, the priorities are straightforward: get healthy, sharpen conditioning, and be fully prepared for the 2026 season. From there, the outlook expands.

“Initially, it’s to try to get healthy, try to get ready for the new season and then moving forward, just try to become the best player I can be and see how far, how far we can go up the rankings.”

Basavareddy understands the value of working with a coach who’s been to the sport’s highest levels, and when comparisons to Daniil Medvedev inevitably come up, he keeps his outlook measured and grounded.

Nishesh Basavareddy pushes back on Daniil Medvedev comparisons

Basavareddy downplayed comparisons to Daniil Medvedev, stressing that their games are very different. Still, he made it clear that the belief goes both ways, saying he’s encouraged by his coach’s confidence in him and remains focused on seeing how far his own path can take him.

“It’s tough to say because we’re completely different players,” Nishesh Basavareddy commented on comparisons. “But I’m glad he believes in me and I believe in myself. Hopefully we can see how far I can go.”

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For those who don’t remember, Daniil Medvedev and Cervara had been together since 2017, forming one of the most successful player-coach partnerships on tour. Their breakthrough came in 2019, a standout season in which Cervara was named ATP Coach of the Year and Medvedev captured his first two Masters 1000 titles, cementing his place among the elite. And now, Cervara brings that experience to Basavareddy’s corner, and the young American is eager to absorb everything the veteran coach has to offer.

This week, Basavareddy is back in familiar surroundings in Jeddah, where he also competed last year. After finishing 1-2 at the 20-and-under event in 2024, he’ll now be looking to improve on that result when he faces Justin Engel in his final round-robin match on Friday.

However, the difference this time, the 20-year-old says, is experience. What once felt overwhelming now feels more routine, even as the excitement remains. With a full season on tour behind him, the 20-year-old, currently No. 167 in the PIF ATP Rankings is hoping to close out 2025 on a high note.