File photo of Sumit Nagal© X (Twitter)
India’s Sumit Nagal bowed out of the Australian Open after losing to Czechia’s Tomas Machac in the first round of the men’s singles event at Melbourne Park on Sunday. Sumit Nagal, ranked 91st in the ATP singles rankings, fell to world No. 25 Machac 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 in two hours and five minutes. The 27-year-old was the only Indian competing in the singles draw. Nagal started well, dropping just two points in his first three service games. However, Machac broke him in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and closed out the first set with a commanding finish.
In the second set, Nagal had an early chance to break but Machac saved the breakpoint in the opening game. Nagal’s performance dipped as the set progressed, losing his next two service games at 40-0 and 40-15. Although he challenged Machac’s serves in the fifth and seventh games, he couldn’t capitalise.
Nagal made a strong start in the third set, breaking Machac in the second game and surging to a 3-0 lead. However, Machac rallied to break Nagal in the seventh and ninth games, sealing the match in straight sets.
Last year, Nagal reached the main draw through qualifying rounds and stunned Kazakhstan’s World No. 27 Alexander Bublik in the first round, becoming the first Indian man to beat a seeded player in a Grand Slam since Ramesh Krishnan in 1989. He exited in the second round, losing to China’s Juncheng Shang.
In doubles, Indian interest continues with matches starting on Tuesday. Rohan Bopanna, the 2024 Grand Slam champion alongside Australia’s Matthew Ebden, will partner Colombia’s Nicolas Barrientos this year. Other Indian players include Yuki Bhambri with France’s Albano Olivetti, N Sriram Balaji with Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, and Rithvik Bollipalli with the USA’s Ryan Seggerman.
No Indian woman has qualified for the Australian Open this year.
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