MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Moments after Nishesh Basavareddy reached his first ATP semi-final at the Auckland Classic on Thursday, the American teenager named Novak Djokovic as his favourite player and said he had modelled his game after the 24-times Grand Slam champion.

The 19-year-old will get the chance to show Djokovic how much he has learned from him after he was lined up to face the Serb in the first round of the Australian Open when the draw for the Melbourne Park major was made later in the day.