Nagal wins Chennai Challenger; breaks into top 100 for first time
Building on his momentum from Saturday evening, Nagal applied pressure from the start, leaving Nardi unsettled.
Sumit Nagal with the ATP trophy
CHENNAI: India’s top seed, Sumit Nagal, made history as the first Indian player to secure a men’s singles title at an ATP event in Chennai. He dominated the final against Italy’s Luca Nardi with a convincing 6-1, 6-4 triumph at the Chennai Challenger on Sunday.
This victory elevated Sumit into the top 100 in the ATP ranking. “I couldn’t have asked for a better place to break into the top 100, in my home country, in front of my people, and the journey continues,” said Nagal during his medal ceremony.
Nardi struggled to find his footing in the game, particularly in the first set where Nagal served dominantly. Uncontrolled shots and a loss of momentum during rallies left Nardi unable to match the Indian top seed.
Building on his momentum from Saturday evening, Nagal applied pressure from the start, leaving Nardi unsettled. The first set saw Nagal dominating with a score of 6-1. As the crowd settled in and the sun set in Chennai, Nardi was a different player under the lights coming into the second set, displaying improved composure and rhythm. Despite Nardi’s efforts at a comeback, Nagal consistently thwarted him, preventing the 20-year-old from settling completely.
The second set proved to be a closely contested affair, with the score at 3-2 after the fifth game. Nardi managed to level the score to 3-3, but Nagal remained resilient. In a moment of frustration, Nagal threw his racket on the court when Nardi equalized at 4-4.
“Both of us were eyeing the top 100 rankings, so nerves were inevitable. While I believed I had the upper hand, credit to him for fighting back to 4-4. Fortunately, I managed to win the next few points and that boost in confidence proved crucial,” said Nagal, reflecting on the tightly contested second set.
With the support of Somdev Devvaraman, who constantly kept signalling him to keep his calm and focus, Nagal rallied back, winning the next two games to secure the singles title and solidify his position as the country’s top seed heading into the Bengaluru Open. The win was Nagal’s fifth career ATP Challenger singles title.
Kohli’s support was really helpful: Nagal
Nagal also reflected on the people who have helped him through the years, mentioning Virat Kohli’s significant support early in his career. “Although we play different sports and lead separate lives, we share the bond of our hometown. It’s truly inspiring to see what he’s achieved for Indian cricket,” said Nagal.
