Nagal is up Down Under

India’s Sumit Nagal celebrates his first-round win over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik at the Australian Open yesterday. Pic/AP, PTI

Sumit Nagal returned to the big stage in grand style, pulling off one of the biggest victories of his career by stunning World No. 27 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets to breeze into the Australian Open second round, here Tuesday.

Someone who was denied a regional wild card opportunity by the AITA for his refusal to play Davis Cup, Nagal came through qualifiers and sent packing 31st seed Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(5) in a gruelling match that lasted two hours and 38 minutes. Nagal, ranked 137 in the world, is playing in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time since 2021 Australian Open when he had lost 2-6, 5-7, 3-6 to Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis in the opening round.

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Ramesh Krishnan's feat

Nagal's victory was first by an Indian against a seeded player in a Grand Slam main draw in 35 years. The last time it happened was way back in 1989 when Ramesh Krishnan shocked Swede Mats Wilander, the then World No.1 and defending champion at the Australian Open. In the 2020 US Open, Nagal had lost to second seed and eventual champion Dominic Thiem 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round.

Alexander Bublik

By wining the first round, Nagal has ensured that he will pocket at least AUD 120,000 in addition to the AUD 65,000 (total approximately R98 lakh) for his three wins in the qualifying stage. It means that Nagal has secured his 2024 ATP Tour budget that is no less than one crore rupees. For, someone who had told PTI in an interaction that he's left with only 900 Euros in his pocket at the end of 2023 season, this prize money will ease a lot of his financial burden. "The last 12-18 months have been a mix of good and bad. Bad in a way, where I couldn't play well, and good in a way that I learned from them," Nagal told SonyLIV.

"I knew the conditions were going to be tough and hot. No big server likes to serve in the wind, so I knew if I was going to return serves, it would annoy him. That's what I did, and it worked. The first two sets were not the way he wanted. It's tennis; you feel the ball, and sometimes you don't. Today, I kept calm and played probably one of my best tennis matches so far," he added.

Next up, No. 140 Shang

Nagal, 26, will next play China's Juncheng Shang, ranked 140, on Thursday. If he happens to win the second round, there will be a potential third round clash with World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz of Spain.

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