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India’s top-ranked male tennis player, Sumit Nagal, showcased his prowess on clay courts as he progressed to the Round of 16 at the Marrakech Open, an ATP 250 event held in Morocco.
Ranked 95th in the world, Nagal kicked off his clay season with a hard-fought victory over Frenchman Corentin Moutet, ranked four places below him. In a thrilling encounter, Nagal battled back from a set down to secure a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win, marking his first Tour-level victory since the Australian Open.
Reflecting on his performance, Nagal expressed satisfaction with his game, particularly in the second and third sets. He highlighted his strong serving and aggressive shot-making, which enabled him to gain the upper hand over Moutet.
The victory also served as redemption for Nagal, who had previously suffered a defeat to the same opponent in a Challenger final in Helsinki last year.
"I think I played a really good match, especially the second and third sets. I served well, went for my shots and today, it went more in my favour than the last time we played in Helsinki,” Nagal said after the match (via PTI News).
What's next for Sumit Nagal?
Looking ahead, Sumit Nagal will face fourth-seeded Italian Lorenzo Sonego in the Round of 16, promising an entertaining encounter between the two great players. Nagal would be enthusiastic about his chances and should prepared to face the challenges given by his formidable opponent.
In other tennis action involving Indian players, Anirudh Chandrasekar and N. Vijay Sundar Prashanth created waves at the U.S Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston. The pair reached the quarterfinals with a decisive win over local wildcards Michael Mmoh and Frances Tiafoe, with the latter a third seed in the men's singles event in Houston.
Meanwhile, in the ITF women's event in Kashiwa, Japan, Ankita Raina showed her fighting spirit despite a tough first-round loss. Despite losing in a marathon match to Chinese Taipei's Ya-Hsuan Lee, Raina demonstrated resilience and determination throughout the fight. She also had success in the doubles category, reaching the quarterfinals with her partner Chia Yi Tsao of Chinese Taipei.
Nagal's strong victory in Marrakech marks a promising start to the clay season for Indian tennis, highlighting the country's expanding worldwide profile. As Nagal advances in his career, supporters eagerly await his upcoming matches and future success on the ATP Tour following his historic outing at the 2024 Australian Open.
