India’s top-ranked men’s singles player, Sumit Nagal, has started the clay season with a bang. The 25-year-old, who recently achieved his career-high rank of 95, recorded an incredible win over former world no. 51, Corentin Moutet, in the Round of 32 of the Grand Prix Hassan II.
Nagal has in been touch since the start of the year. He reached the second round of the Australian Open 2024, beating Top 30 player Alexander Bublik on his way. He then won the Chennai Challenger and subsequently made the semifinals of the Bengaluru Challenger.
After breaching the ATP Top 100, he played the Dubai Open, the Indian Wells Masters, and the Miami Open but failed to find the same success he had in January. Now, back on his favorite surface, he is back to his best once again.
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So far, Nagal is the only singles player from India who’ll play in the Olympics. With the mega-event scheduled to be played on clay, this win has put him on course. Playing the talented Frenchman, Nagal toughed it out in three sets to move into the round of 16 at the Grand Prix Hassan II.
Nagal outmaneuvered Moutet in every department to register the win. Despite being considered an under-par server, he out-aced the Frenchman, 6-3. He broke him thrice in the five opportunities he got, while Moutet managed to do so just once in seven attempts.
What made the win even more impressive was the fact that he came down from a set down. Although it’s a good win, it’s not the time to celebrate yet. A tough competitor in the fourth seed, Lorenzo Sonego, awaits him. Nagal had faced the Italian just last month and managed to take a set off him.
This time, he’ll be meeting the fourth seed on clay, his favorite surface. Given the form he is in, Sonego can expect a tough challenge for Nagal, having already seen the best of him in Dubai.
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