New Delhi: Top-ranked Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal has hit down under to feature in the calendar year’s first Grand Slam event – the Australian Open 2025. The season opener slam will commence on January 12 at the Melbourne Park in Melbourne.
On Friday, the 27-year-old posted a video clip of him training with Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios, who is making his return to a Grand Slam event after a two-year hiatus. In the video, Nagal was serving to the home boy, who made a strong return straight down the line. Nagal clenched his fists in the air to indicate the point was won by him. In the caption, he wrote: ‘Goofing around with @NickKyrgios ahead of the @AustralianOpen’.
Watch the video here:
Goofing around with @NickKyrgios ahead of the @AustralianOpen 😜 pic.twitter.com/c6vjmfwfQ2
— Sumit Nagal (@nagalsumit) January 10, 2025
Sumit Nagal needs to find his mojo back at Australian Open
Sumit Nagal has been off the blocks ever since achieving his career-best ranking of No.68 last year in the pursuit to earn the qualification for the Paris Olympics. He has made plenty of first round exits at the major events including the ones at Paris Olympics, other Slams – French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
In the recent action from the World No.96, he qualified for the main draw of the ABS Classic in Auckland, but then made an early exit from the event after going down to Alex Michelsen of the United States in the first round. The upcoming Australian Open can be a moment of redemption for the Indian star to once again climb the ladder in the ATP season.
It was the same Grand Slam event that earned him massive plaudits after winning three qualifying rounds to reach the main draw. He defeated Kazakhstan’s then 31st-seed Alexander Bublik in the first round, making him the first Indian player to win against a seeded player in a Grand Slam after Ramesh Krishnan in 1989.
Nagal will face World No.26 Tomas Machac of the Czech Republic in the first round of the Australian Open main draw on January 12 (Monday).
Sumit Nagal, aiming for a comeback after a slump, is set to compete in the Australian Open 2025. He was recently seen training with Nick Kyrgios. Nagal’s first-round match against Tomas Machac will be crucial for regaining his former ranking. Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
