Sumit Nagal Exits US Open 2024 in First Round Following Defeat to Tallon Griekspoor
In the recently concluded US Open 2024 tennis tournament, Indian player Sumit Nagal faced an early exit in the men’s singles event. Competing at the prestigious USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York, Nagal was defeated by the Netherlands’ Tallon Griekspoor. The match took place on Tuesday, lasting two hours and twenty minutes, with the final score reading 6-1, 6-3, 7(8)-6(6).
Ranked 73rd in the world, Nagal showcased commendable resilience, particularly in the third set; however, his efforts fell short against the higher-ranked Griekspoor, who is positioned at 40th globally. In the opening set, Griekspoor established dominance early with a break to lead 2-0, although Nagal quickly responded with a service hold. Unfortunately, the Indian player struggled to maintain his service, leading to the loss of the first set.
The second set began with both players holding serve until it reached 2-2, but Griekspoor seized the match by breaking Nagal’s serve twice, ultimately taking the set. The third set saw a spirited performance from Nagal, who managed to break Griekspoor’s serve in the critical 11th game. Despite this resurgence, the match progressed to a tiebreak, where Griekspoor ultimately emerged victorious, capturing the match.
Throughout the encounter, Griekspoor displayed superior serving efficacy, winning 87 percent of his first-serve points compared to Nagal’s 61 percent. Griekspoor also converted six break points, while Nagal managed to secure two breaks against his opponent. Notably, this participation marked Sumit Nagal as the first Indian male player to compete in the singles events of all four Grand Slam tournaments within a single calendar year since 2019. Earlier this year, Nagal advanced to the second round of the Australian Open, whereas he faced first-round exits at both the French Open and Wimbledon.
In addition, Nagal represented India in the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming only the second Indian player, following the illustrious Leander Paes, to qualify for the singles event in consecutive editions of the Summer Games. While his singles campaign at the US Open has concluded, Nagal will continue his participation in the tournament by competing in the men’s doubles events alongside his partner, Yoshihito Nishioka from Japan.
Furthermore, it is noteworthy that fellow Indian player Rohan Bopanna, a two-time Grand Slam champion, is currently seeded second in the men’s doubles alongside Australian Matthew Ebden, with their match scheduled for Wednesday. In addition, Indian players Yuki Bhambri and N. Sriram Balaji are also in contention, partnering with respective players Albano and Guido Andreozzi of Argentina.
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