Indian tennis and its entire fraternity had reasons to smile on Tuesday as Sumit Nagal, its face, achieved the biggest accomplishment of his singles career. Nagal, the highest-ranked Indian singles player in tennis, knocked out World No. 27 Alexander Bublik from the first round of the Australian Open. Seeded 31st, Bublik was taken aback by Nagal, ranked 110 positions behind him, and his attacking play. The win marks a watershed moment in Indian tennis history as Nagal, 26, became the first Indian to beat a seeded opponent in a Grand Slam since Ramesh Krishnan’s monumental win over Mats Wilander at the 1989 edition of the Australian Open.
Nagal’s win is of epic proportions also for the circumstances surrounding him. Denied a wildcard nomination by AITA in December, Nagal, who went viral last year after he revealed to have been left with just INR 80,000 in his bank account, fought tooth and nail, first progressing in the qualifiers and then secure a place in the men’s first round. Nagal’s win was celebrated by many – including Sachin Tendulkar, Dinesh Karthik and Rohan Bopanna; however, the one name that surprisingly went missing was that of Virat Kohli. Surprised? Don’t be. The Indian cricketing superstar may not directly be responsible for Nagal’s moment under the sun but indirectly played a role in the tennis sensation’s resurgence.
Nagal was part of the Virat Kohli foundation, and the latter’s support has become part of legendary folklore. In an interview in 2019, Nagal had revealed how Kohli and his venture aided him through tough times, including a period when he was left with no more than 6 USD. From struggling to manage flight tickets to now assuring himself of at least INR 98 lakh, even after four years, Nagal did not forget to mention Kohli. On November 15, when Kohli created history by scoring his 50th ODI century, Nagal was one of the many who congratulated him. Hence, needless to say, the admiration and adulation refuses to go away.
Also Read: Sumit Nagal’s miracle win vs World No. 27 Bublik – Tactical and statistical study
“I speak to him once in a while. I was also a part of his foundation. Thanks to him for all those years. You know, which Indian doesn’t like cricket? I follow it and watch it whenever I get a chance, yeah,” Nagal told reporters after beating Bublik in straight sets.
Nagal discussed about his struggles with injury over the last few months and explained the thoughts that were running through his mind on seeing Bublik talking a lot to himself and his box between 1st and 2nd serves.
“The last 12-18 months had been both good and bad. Bad due to my injury, and good because I learned a lot during my break. When I returned to the court after the injury, it made me a better and more mature player. I felt and understood tennis much better, and I think that is paying off on the courts,” he said while speaking to Sony Sports Network.
“When I saw him doing that, I knew I have to be there and just have to give him another ball. Serve a lot of first serves, and not give him chances too many times, and I think that worked well for me. Make him move a lot, and get him more and more annoyed.”