In a historic triumph at the Australian Open 2024, Sumit Nagal, India’s highest-ranked men’s singles tennis player, secured a significant victory by defeating the 31st-seeded Alexander Bublik with an impressive scoreline of 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 [7-5] in the first round. Nagal, currently positioned at World No. 137, demonstrated exceptional prowess by effortlessly overcoming an opponent ranked 100 places above him.
This achievement marks a groundbreaking moment for Indian tennis, as Nagal becomes the first male player since Ramesh Krishnan to upset a seed in a Grand Slam men’s singles match, reminiscent of Krishnan’s notable victory over Mats Wilander in 1989. Notably, Nagal’s remarkable performance also propels him into the second round of the Australian Open, following in the footsteps of the accomplished Somdev Devvarman, who achieved this feat in 2013. Nagal’s strategic brilliance and powerful display of attacking tennis reflect a promising journey ahead in the tournament.
Continuing his commanding performance, Sumit Nagal maintained his dominance in the second set by breaking Alexander Bublik’s serve right from the start. Despite facing three break points, Nagal displayed unwavering resolve, winning four consecutive points to establish a 2-0 lead. Bublik’s frustration surfaced as he smashed his racquet when Nagal secured another break, extending his lead to 4-1. Undeterred by the drama, Nagal held serve, furthering his advantage to 5-2. The set concluded with a gripping final game where Bublik saved three set points, but Nagal, undaunted, roared back with a powerful winner on the fourth, ultimately securing the set 6-2.
In the third set, as Bublik settled into his rhythm and showed a more collected approach, the dynamics changed. As the wind died down, the Kazakh player carefully analyzed Nagal’s strategy. There were no serve-breakers in the first twenty minutes of the set, and the score stayed tied at three. But as Bublik was serving, Nagal made an incredible comeback that changed the story, taking the score to 4-3 in his favour and putting himself two games away from victory.
Nagal continued to hold his serve, expanding his lead to 5-2, but Bublik staged a comeback, holding his serve and breaking Nagal’s to force the match into a tie-breaker. Amidst a series of suspenseful moments, Nagal maintained his composure in the decisive set. The familiar pattern persisted, with Nagal facing three match points at 6-5 in the tie-breaker. An untimely double fault from Bublik, however, granted Sumit Nagal the victory in straight sets, allowing him to savor the glory of his triumphant performance.