There’s trouble detected at the ATP Next Gen Finals. Just when the fans were embracing Nishesh Basavareddy’s match against Juncheng Shang in the round-robin elimination, the latter had to call the physio and doctor mid-match on the court. According to the information obtained, the Chinese player experienced discomfort in his right knee while serving for the first set at 3-2 (30-15).

Though Shang appeared to be moving fine moments later, he was forced to take an MTO in the third set. The 19-year-old was feeling nauseous and his medical concerns were tended by the on-call doctor. Moreover, his coach also stated that he was doing better than yesterday but wasn’t feeling up to the mark during his warm-up session with the American sensation.

As for their contest, best to say it was a lopsided affair. Shang narrowly edged past the American sensation by clinching the first set in a tiebreaker but he couldn’t carry the momentum forward. What followed was Basavareddy’s clean-cut dominance all the way to the fourth set. He hardly faced resistance from the Chinese player, as he concluded the showdown with a scoreline of 3-4(4), 4-2, 4-2, 4-1.

We don’t have any official update on Shang’s injury yet, but one can hope that he doesn’t wind up making a disheartening announcement surrounding his injury scare at the event.

Talking about injuries, Shang’s rival Basavareddy has notably endured and overcome career-threatening challenges during his teen years.

When Nishesh Basavareddy narrated a poignant journey to recovery following multiple injuries

American sensation Nishesh Basavareddy, when he was aged just 11 in 2016, had to undergo surgery after dislocating his kneecap. It forced him out of action for almost nine months. Though he prevailed over those concerns and scripted an impressive season nearly two years later, another injury setback meant more spell on the sidelines. He tore his meniscus and spent another 15 months recovering from this unfortunate incident.

However, having come atop those concerns, Basavareddy opened up about his experience. “It was hugely frustrating because I felt that every time I came back and was gaining momentum, playing better and improving, there was a setback and all that progress was lost. I had doubts about whether I could get back to previous levels or get back at all. I definitely had doubts lingering at the back of my mind, but I tried to push them away. The feelings of wanting to get back and being successful again were far greater,” he said.

Next up, Nishesh Basavareddy is drawn up against Luca Van Assche for his final contest in the round-robin elimination at the ATP Next Gen Finals on December 20. Do you think Basavareddy can go all the way and win the event? Let us know in the comments below.