Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal stunned the world when he took a set off 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer at the 2019 US Open. Born on 16 August 1997 in Haryana, India, Nagal started playing tennis at the age of 8 and has a career-high singles ranking of No. 68, which he achieved on July 15, 2024. He has reached the second round of a major on two occasions thus far. At the 2024 Australian Open, he defeated No. 31 seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets in the first round.
Nagal entered the 2024 BNP Paribas Open as the lucky loser, replacing Rafael Nadal. He became the first Indian at a Masters 1000 since Prajnesh Gunneswaran. He qualified for his next Masters tournament at the 2024 Monte Carlo, becoming the first Indian player in 42 years to qualify for the main draw. He registered his first Masters win, defeating Matteo Arnaldi in his opening match.
At the 2019 US Open, Nagal stunned tennis fans worldwide after winning against former world No. 1 Roger Federer. He has been playing in India's Davis Cup team since 2018. He is a right-handed player whose forehand is his biggest strength.
Although Sumit Nagal is yet to win a senior title, he is a former junior Wimbledon men’s doubles champion. The 26-year-old has gone back and forth between the challenger and pro circuits, publicly calling out India and the ATP for allocation of funds towards lower-ranked players along the way.
Sumit Nagal Coach
Sumit Nagal is currently being coached by Sascha Nensel, as of July 2024. Sascha Nensel is a former German professional tennis player, who later became a coach. He qualified for the main draw of two ATP Tour tournaments during his playing days, and also won a Challenger event.
Nensel has previously coached the likes of Andrea Petkovic and Julia Gorges on the professional circuit. He currently runs his own academy in Peine, Germany. Sumit Nagal is believed to have started working with Sascha Nensel in 2018.
Also Read: Where does Sumit Nagal live?
Sumit Nagal Career
Sumit Nagal turned pro in 2015, and went on to make his Davis Cup debut the year after. In 2017, the top-ranked Indian player grabbed his maiden ATP Challenger trophy in Bengaluru - beating the likes of Blaz Kavcic and Jay Clarke along the way. He then made his Asian Games debut in 2018, before earning himself plenty of fans during his match against Roger Federer at the 2019 US Open. Sumit Nagal has had a strong start to the 2024 season, going past the first round at the Australian Open.
Also Read: Sumit Nagal Net Worth
FAQs on Sumit Nagal
A: Sumit Nagal is 26 years old as of July 2024.
A: Sascha Nensel is the coach of Sumit Nagal.
A: Sumit Nagal’s best Grand Slam performance came at the 2020 US Open, where he reached the second round.
A: Ahead of the 2024 Australian Open, Sumit Nagal has earned $1,141,120 via tennis prize money till date.
A: Sumit Nagal is ranked No. 80 in singles by the ATP as of July 2024.
