Australian Open 2024 tennis: Sumit Nagal stuns Alexander Bublik in first round
Sumit Nagal became the first Indian tennis player since 1989 to beat a seeded player in a Grand Slam.
Tennis
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal registered a stunning straight sets victory over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik in the first round of the Australian Open 2024 men’s singles event at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.
Nagal, world No. 137, won the contest 6-4, 6-2, 7(7)-6(5) against his world No. 27 opponent in two hours and 38 minutes.
This is the first time the 26-year-old Nagal made it to the second round of the Australian Open. He made the main draw of the season’s opening Grand Slam in 2021 but lost in the first round.
Somdev Devvarman was the last Indian to reach the second round of the Australian Open back in 2013.
It is also the first time since 1989 that an Indian tennis player defeated a seeded player in a Grand Slam. Ramesh Krishnan was the last Indian singles player to beat a seeded opponent in a Grand Slam, ousting top seed and defending champion Mats Wilander in the second round of the 1989 Australian Open.
Bublik was seeded 31st in the 2024 Australian Open men’s singles draw.
Nagal, assisted by a couple of double faults from Bublik, found a break in the first game of the first set. Though Bublik levelled the score immediately at 1-1, Nagal restored the advantage with a break in the third game.
Nagal then broke Bublik for the third time in a row and held his service games to take the first set.
With momentum firmly on his side, Nagal stunned Bublik with a break in the first game of the second set as well. The Indian tennis player found his second break in the fifth game and secured the second set.
For the first time in the match, Bublik showed composure to hold his first serve in the third set. Nagal broke his higher-ranked opponent in the seventh game but Bublik enjoyed a good spell and mounted a comeback to level the scores at 5-5.
Bublik then held his service game but Nagal replied with a hold on love as well.
Nagal led 3-0 in the tie-breaker and had three matchpoint opportunities. Bublik saved two but Nagal stayed disciplined and made the most of his third opportunity.
Earlier, Nagal overcame three qualifying rounds to secure his place in the main draw of the Australian Open 2024. He will face the People’s Republic of China’s Shang Juncheng, ranked 140th, in the second round of the Australian Open.
In the men’s doubles, India’s Yuki Bhambri and his Dutch partner Robin Haase lost to Rafael Matos of Brazil and Colombian Nicolas Barrientos 1-6, 7(10)-6(8), 7(10)-6(7) in 2 hours and 26 minutes.
The Bhambri-Haase started the match brilliantly and strolled past their opponents in the first set. However, they lost the next two sets in the tie-breaker to crash out.
India have three more entries in men's doubles. Rohan Bopanna partners Matthew Ebden of Australia, N. Sriram Balaji will team up with Victor Vlad Cornea of Romania and Indian duo Vijay Sundar Prashanth and Anirudh Chandrasekar will pair up for their respective matches starting Thursday.