India’s Sumit Nagal scripted history on Monday (April 8) after he became the first Indian tennis star to win an ATP Masters 1000 match at the Monte Carlo Open. Nagal, one of India’s top performers on the ATP circuit has been making headlines in recent times and added another feather to his impressive hat when he got the better of 38th-ranked Matteo Arnaldi on Monday. In doing so he also became the first Indian since 1990 to win an ATP Masters 1000 match on clay. Here we take a look at who is Sumit Nagal and his rise on the ATP circuit.

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Early life of Sumit Nagal

ALSO READ | Tennis: India’s Sumit Nagal creates history with maiden main draw win at Monte Carlo Masters

Born in Jhajjar district of India’s Haryana state, Nagal started getting his tennis lessons at the age of eight. However, it was not until 10 when he started getting professional tennis lessons and moved to Bengaluru in  Mahesh Bhupathi’s training academy. He was handpicked by Bhupathi as part of a future initiative program aimed at developing young tennis stars. However, the program was soon closed which forced Nagal to move outside India for future tens lessons. Nagal moved to Toronto for training with Coach Bobby Mahal.

On court performance

In 2015 Nagal began to gain fame when he won the 2015 Wimbledon boys’ doubles title with his Vietnamese partner Lý Hoàng Nam, defeating Reilly Opelka and Akira Santillan in the final. He became the sixth Indian player to win a junior Grand Slam title.

His performances did not go unnoticed and was called up to the Indian squad for the Davis Cup. Nagal made his Davis Cup debut for India in the 2016 World Group Playoff tie against Spain in New Delhi.

However, Nagal’s biggest and breakthrough year came in 2019 when he made his Grand Slam debut at the US Open. His first match came against then-record Grand Slam champion Roger Federer who had recently finished runners-up at Wimbledon; however, he faced defeat to Federer opening round. 

At the US Open 2020, Nagal registered his first Grand Slam singles win against Bradley Klahn. In doing so he also became the first Indian to win a singles match at the Grand Slam since Somdev Devvarman’s win in the 2013 US Open.

Nagal would later represent India at the Tokyo Olympics where he was defeated by Russian Daniil Medvedev. He also reached the second round of the 2024 Australian Open and before winning at the ATP Masters 1000 Monte Carlo Open.

You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.