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IMAGE: Sumit Nagal celebrates successful his first spherical match in opposition to Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan on the Australian Open on Tuesday, January 16, 2024. Images: Ciro De Luca/Reuters
Sumit Nagal created historical past on the Australian Open on Tuesday when he turned the primary Indian males’s participant in additional than three a long time to beat a seeded participant at a Grand Slam.
The 26 12 months outdated brought on a significant upset as he outclassed World No. 27 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) in straight units in two hours and 38 minutes.
This was the primary time in 35 years that an Indian man beat a seeded participant in a Grand Slam.
Ramesh Krishnan was the final participant to attain the feat when he produced a sensational upset to beat World No 1 and defending champion Mats Wilander 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 within the second spherical of the 1989 Australian Open.
That is the primary time that Nagal made it to the second spherical of the Australian Open. He had earlier made it to the second spherical of the US Open in 2020, when he misplaced to eventual champion Dominic Thiem.
Nagal got here into the Australian Open via the qualifying event. He upset 14th seed and former World No. 38, Slovalia’s Alex Molcan 6-4, 6-4 within the closing qualifying spherical of the Australian Open to enter the primary draw.
He’s the primary Indian to qualify for the primary draw of any Grand Slam since 2021.
That is his second important draw look on the Australian Open after three years, having misplaced to Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis within the opening spherical in 2021.
Nagal had additionally made it to the US Open important attract 2019 and 2020.
In 2019, Nagal had stretched legendary Roger Federer to 4 units at Flushing Meadows earlier than dropping 6-4, 1-6, 2-6, 4-6.
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