A dramatic and costly mental error has ended the Australian Open qualifying campaign of former top-40 star Sebastian Ofner, who collapsed after a wild and premature victory celebration.
A Costly Misunderstanding in the Decider
The Austrian player, currently ranked No.131 in the world, faced American Nishesh Basavareddy in the second round of qualifying on Wednesday. After splitting the first two sets, the match went to a tense third-set tiebreak. Ofner raced to what he believed was an unassailable 7-1 lead.
Unaware that the final set required a 10-point tiebreak to decide the winner, Ofner erupted in celebration. He pumped his fist vigorously, pointed to his head in a gesture of triumph, and began walking well inside the court, convinced the match was his.
The reality was starkly different. He was still three crucial points away from securing the victory he was already savouring.
The Spectacular Collapse
When play resumed after the awkward pause, the momentum shifted irrevocably. Basavareddy, seizing the opportunity, won the next three points and then eight of the following nine to earn himself the first match point.
Ofner managed to stave off that initial chance and even created two match points of his own later in the extended breaker. However, he couldn't convert either opportunity. Basavareddy ultimately clinched a remarkable victory on the 24th point of the tiebreak, with the final score reading 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11).
Adding insult to injury, the American victor rubbed salt into the wound by mimicking a choking gesture towards his own team after sealing the win.
What Comes Next
Basavareddy now advances to face Britain's George Loffhagen on Friday, with a coveted spot in the Australian Open main draw on the line. The American is no stranger to causing upsets in Melbourne, having famously taken the first set off Novak Djokovic in the first round of last year's tournament before eventually falling in four sets.
For Sebastian Ofner, the defeat marks a brutal and entirely avoidable end to his qualifying journey, a stark lesson in maintaining focus until the final point is officially won.
