Sumit Nagal, who ranks as India’s top singles tennis player, will not participate in the upcoming Davis Cup 2024 match against Sweden due to a persistent back injury. Manas Dhamne has been appointed as his replacement.

The Indian Davis Cup team is scheduled to face Sweden in a World Group I tie, set to occur on September 14 and 15 at the Royal Tennis Hall in Stockholm, which features indoor hard courts. At the age of 27 and currently ranked 73rd, Nagal had previously missed a tie against Pakistan in February, where India advanced to World Group I after a decisive 4-0 victory.

In his statement on social media, Nagal expressed, “I was genuinely looking forward to representing India in the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden. However, due to a back issue that has been afflicting me for the past few weeks, medical professionals have advised me to rest for the next two weeks. Consequently, I will not have sufficient time to train and compete in Sweden. I am profoundly disappointed to miss this tie, but I must heed my body’s signals to prevent further aggravation of my condition and to ensure a strong and healthy finish to the season. I wish the best of luck to the Indian team; I will be cheering for you from home!”

The All India Tennis Association announced on Monday that 16-year-old Manas Dhamne will substitute for Nagal in the Davis Cup lineup against Sweden. Historically, India has struggled against Sweden in the Davis Cup, having lost all five of their previous encounters.

Dhamne, who achieved a career-best junior ranking of 43 in 2023, has started to establish himself in the men’s tennis circuit over the past year. He made his ATP Tour debut at the Maharashtra Open last year and made history at the 2023 Australian Open by becoming the youngest player to win a match in the boys’ singles category.

The 2024 Davis Cup tie will mark the initial assignment for India’s newly appointed national team coach, Ashutosh Singh, who is a former national champion. This appointment follows the resignation of Zeeshan Ali from the national coaching position.

The team for the Davis Cup includes players Manas Dhamne, Ramkumar Ramanathan, N. Sriram Balaji, Niki Poonacha, and Siddharth Vishwakarma, with Aryan Shah serving as a reserve player.

This upcoming event presents both challenges and opportunities for the Indian tennis squad as they prepare to face a historically strong opponent in Sweden.

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