India, Feb. 20 -- Nishesh Basavareddy remembers being greeted by a flurry of notifications on his phone shortly after his Australian Open match against Novak Djokovic last month. That was the 19-year-old's first main draw match at a Grand Slam. The expectations were low, but he did manage to win the opening set against the 24-time Major winner.

He eventually lost in four sets, but Basavareddy, an American of Indian heritage, had found a larger fanbase.

"I got a lot of messages from Indians, like either actors or some athletes," he said to HT. "I think it shows that the people are following me over there. And I really enjoy all that, just having a whole another country behind me."

Born and raised in the US, Basavareddy's performance ear...