Austrian tennis pro Sebastian Ofner suffered a shocking exit from Australian Open qualifying after celebrating prematurely. At 7-1 in the final-set tie-break against Nishesh Basavareddy, Ofner believed he had won, raising his arms in triumph. He failed to realize super tie-breaks are played to 10 points, leaving him needing just three more to secure the match.

Basavareddy seized on the bizarre momentum shift, reeling off eight of the next nine points to clinch the victory 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11). The American, ranked 364th, advanced to the final qualifying round at Melbourne Park. He will now face Britain's George Loffhagen for a spot in the main draw.

Ofner, ranked 123rd, later gestured a 'choking' sign in disbelief. The costly rules misunderstanding overshadowed a gritty comeback from the American. With the main draw starting Sunday, Basavareddy's win marks a huge opportunity for the 20-year-old on the Grand Slam stage.