Sebastian Ofner will likely never forget the fine print of tennis rules again — not after his premature celebration triggered one of the most painful collapses of the Australian Open qualifiers.
The Austrian
appeared home and dry on Wednesday, racing to a dominant 6–1 lead in the final-set super tiebreak against 20-year-old American Nishesh Basavareddy.
Victory seemed inevitable. But then came the blunder.
When your brain calls match point before the umpire does… pic.twitter.com/r1i49K1k2V
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 14, 2026
After winning another point to move 7–1 ahead, Ofner confidently walked toward the net — celebrating what he thought was match point.
What he forgot was brutal: final-set tiebreaks go to 10 points, not seven.
The Realisation — and the Ruin
The mistake hit almost instantly. Ofner’s expression said it all as he sheepishly turned back toward the baseline. But by then, the momentum and belief had completely flipped.
Basavareddy, handed a psychological lifeline, seized it with both hands.
What followed was nothing short of astonishing.
Basavareddy’s Eight-Point Surge
From the brink of elimination, the American reeled off eight of the next nine points, turning disbelief into dominance. Ofner, rattled and deflated, couldn’t stop the slide.
Basavareddy completed the comeback with a jaw-dropping 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (13–11) victory.
Cold Celebration, Cold Reality
Basavareddy marked the win with a pointed celebration, briefly holding his hands to his neck in a ‘choking’ gesture before pumping his fist in triumph.
Across the net, Ofner could only shake hands — left to replay the moment he thought it was over.
The win was especially sweet for Basavareddy, who continues to announce himself on the big stage. Just last year, he made headlines as a wildcard at the Australian Open by taking the opening set off 10-time champion Novak Djokovic before eventually bowing out.
This time, the spotlight was his alone. Meanwhile, for Ofner, it was a lesson learned the hardest way possible: in tennis, the match isn’t over until it’s really over.
(with Reuters inputs)
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