India’s top-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, has advanced to the semi-finals of the ATP 100 Challenger tennis tournament with an impressive performance. Ranked 95th in the world, Nagal secured his semi-final spot by defeating Russia’s Ivan Gakhov in straight sets. The match, which lasted 82 minutes, saw Nagal triumph with a scoreline of 6-1, 7-6.
“I am playing my best tennis since the last months of last year,” Nagal said after the match. “I was out of action for about a year and a half due to hip surgery. I have been playing since the end of 2022 without any problem or pain.”
Nagal is determined to improve his rankings in order to qualify for the singles event at the Paris Olympics. The men’s draw at the Olympics will feature 64 athletes. Despite an early exit at the French Open, where he lost to Karen Khachanov in the first round, Nagal has demonstrated exceptional form in this tournament, which boasts a prize pool of Rs 1 crore eight lakh.
In his match against Gakhov, Nagal displayed dominance in the first set, winning comfortably. Although the Russian mounted a comeback in the second set, giving Nagal a tougher challenge, the Indian player maintained his composure and utilized his experience to prevail in the crucial moments.
