Just a year ago, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal was struggling with injuries, 16 first-round ousters and a world ranking outside 300. But come August 27 (5.45am IST), he will be playing the biggest match of his life—against Swiss legend Roger Federer in the first round of the US Open.
After a forgettable 2018, the 22-year-old Haryana lad came out firing all cylinders this year, reaching the semifinal in seven consecutive Challenger tournaments. His world ranking, too, improved to 190. He also qualified for the main draw of the ATP 500 event in Hamburg. Making the US Open main draw was the cherry on the cake.
But it did not come easy. In the US Open qualifiers, he was down by a set and three games to love in the second set against Brazil's Joao Menezes. Nagal, however, turned the match on its head to win 5-7 6-4 6-3 to set up a date with Federer in the first round of the main draw.
He won his first ATP Challenger title—Bengaluru Open—in 2017 but it went downhill for him after that. He attributed the dip in fortunes to the changes in his support staff.
For a player who prefers clay courts, Nagal does not have any titles to show on clay. But he admitted that it has helped him improve his rankings. In fact, the US Open qualifiers was his first match on hard court since March.
Born on August 16 in a cricket-mad India, Nagal took to the game initially but gave it up, thanks to his father. He moved on to tennis, and two years later, Indian tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi noticed the talented boy and took him under his wings.
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Nagal turned professional in 2015 and won the Wimbledon boys doubles title the same year. He has so far earned over $153,000 (£125,000) in prize money. Nagal, currently trains at Nensel Academy in Germany, having moved there a year ago. His fitness trainer Milos Galecic, who has worked with another Indian tennis star Somdev Devvarman, has ensured he follows a strict fitness regimen which has kept him injury-free this year.
Nagal is, reportedly, supported by Virat Kohli Foundation, and its athlete development programme has been sponsoring his training and tournament expenses.
Interestingly, Nagal does not idolise Federer, and his reason is simple. The Swiss legend is “just too good” for him to emulate!
The 22-year-old is, however, in awe of Federer's achievements. The only other thing that inspires him more is, probably, Japanese culture. The tattoos on his left arm—depicting a temple, a samurai and a lotus flower—are a testament to his admiration of Japanese culture and people.
With another Indian, Prajnesh Gunneswaran, too making the main draw of the US Open this year, India will have two players in the Grand Slam main draw for the first time since 1998 when legends Leander Paes and Bhupathi competed at the Wimbledon.
So, does Nagal fancy himself to pull off the upset of his life? He isn't bothered about the result, he admitted. He just wants to live the moment and enjoy it.
