ATP - ATP Australian Open
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Home fans will be hoping Australian wild card Christopher O'Connell can win this match. He takes on qualifier Nishesh Basavareddy in round one of this outdoor hard court Grand Slam. Read our match prediction below.
Waiting in round two for the winner will be either 15th seed Karen Khachanov or unseeded Alex Michelsen.
O'Connell reached the third round of this tournament in 2022. He'll be attempting to avoid a third first round defeat in four years. His last two defeats in this Grand Slam have both been to seeded players, Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul.
He began 2026 with a win but has lost his last two matches and is 118th in the live rankings.
That's 124 places higher than Nishesh Basavareddy. This is only his second appearance in the Australian Open. The American received a wild card last year and lost in round one to Novak Djokovic but did take a set off him.
Basavareddy has been as high as 99th in the rankings. He had to qualify to get into this main draw and won his three matches but dropped a set in both of his last two. Last year saw nim reach the last four in Auckland and the Next Gen Finals.
We tip more than 3.5 games to be played.
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Who will win the Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy Tennis game?
Our prediction for the Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy match is: more than 3.5 sets.
The best winner predictions and betting odds for the Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy game on 20/01/2026 of the current ATP Australian Open season:
- Christopher O'Connell has a 43.81% chance to win against Nishesh Basavareddy according to Bet365 ⭐ with the odds of 2.3.
- Nishesh Basavareddy has a 56.19% probability of winning facing Christopher O'Connell ⭐ with odds of 1.67 at Tonybet.
Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy Best Prediction and Odds
Based on the bookmaker's betting lines in this match, Christopher O'Connell has a 43.81 % chance to win.
| Prediction | Chance to win |
|---|---|
| Christopher O'Connell | 43.81 % |
| Nishesh Basavareddy | 56.19 % |
Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy Form
Christopher O'Connell and Nishesh Basavareddy Last Matches
2/6 (33%)
4/6 (67%)
11 Jan 2026 - Adelaide International
4 Jan 2026 - Brisbane International
3 Jan 2026 - Brisbane International
4 Oct 2025 - ATP Shanghai Masters
2 Oct 2025 - ATP Shanghai Masters
23 Sept 2025 - ATP Beijing Open
4/6 (67%)
2/6 (33%)
15 Jan 2026 - ATP Australian Open
14 Jan 2026 - ATP Australian Open
12 Jan 2026 - ATP Australian Open
5 Jan 2026 - Hong Kong Open
4 Jan 2026 - Hong Kong Open
20 Dec 2025 - Next Gen ATP Finals
Christopher O'Connell - Nishesh Basavareddy Key Points
- More than 3.5 sets were played in the only main draw match Basavareddy has played in the Australian Open.
- Each of the last five matches O'Connell has played in this Grand Slam saw more than 3.5 sets played.
- Both players won a set in two of Basavareddy's three qualifying matches.
- The last Grand Slam main draw played by Basavareddy saw more than 3.5 sets played.
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Our Christopher O'Connell vs Nishesh Basavareddy Prediction
Nishesh Basavareddy is ranked lower than his opponent but he has shown plenty of potential in his career so far. He had to win three matches to qualify for this main draw and that will have boosted his confidence.
Christopher O'Connell could do with that at present. His last two matches have both ended in defeat Only two of his last eight matches have been won, Both players are likely to win a set and our Christopher O'Connell v Nishesh Basavareddy prediction is more than 3.5 sets.