- By Manik Sharma
- Fri, 12 Jan 2024 02:49 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Australian Open 2024: Sumit Nagal, initially left out of the 2024 Australian Open wildcard entries by the All India Tennis Association (AITA), silenced critics with an impressive qualification to the main draw of Australian Open.
Defying the odds, Nagal secured a spot in the singles main draw after defeating Slovakia's Alex Molcan in a convincing manner, with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4 in just over two hours. The match concluded on a low note for Molcan as he double-faulted at a crucial juncture in the second set, sealing Nagal's victory.
Set to face Kazakhstan's World No 31, Alexander Bublik, in the first round, Nagal, currently ranked 139th in singles, will be eyeing a promising run in the tournament. This will be Nagal’s second main draw appearance in the Australian Open, following his debut in 2021, where he faced an early exit at the hands of Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis.
Nagal, known for his previous feats, notably stretched tennis legend Roger Federer to four sets (6-4, 1-6, 2-6, 4-6) at the 2019 US Open. In the following year, he reached the second round, defeating Bradley Klahn (6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1) in the first round but succumbed to Dominic Thiem(6-3, 6-3, 6-2) in the subsequent match.
Earlier, the decision to omit Nagal from the wildcard nominations stemmed from his withdrawal from the Davis Cup tie against Pakistan. Scheduled in the first week of February, Nagal clarified that his choice was primarily influenced by the challenging grass surface.
Having previously received a singles wildcard for the 2021 Australian Open, Nagal's journey in the 2024 edition promises to be an intriguing storyline, with fans eagerly anticipating his performance against higher-ranked opponents.
The upcoming Australian Open, commencing on January 14, is set to extend its schedule by an additional day this year.