Sumit Nagal thread

[Abish arul]

what the hell is wrong with him why can't he mix his schedule with weak Asian challengers and try to move up the rankings and make the cut for Australian open qualifying.simple logic I mean he is not bad hard courter after all. It's so painful to see a guy like soon won kwon who is a average junior in sumit age group is now in top 200 by bullying weak Asian challengers where our guy is grinding in the toughest futures events in the Europe. what I meant to say was these loses (like yesterday against miki jankovic) can extremely demotive and can make a doubt in ur mind whether I can make it or not in an pro circuit

[S_K_S]

Let me give you an alternative train of thought....what would he achieve by having a false ranking based on "weak" challengers? The forum is obsessed with rankings. Whether you are 125 or 200 in the world doesn't really matter. What matters is getting good enough to be ranked in in double digits to be able to consistently make the slams.
If Sumit thinks he can become a better player by improving his game by playing in the "harder" challengers then all credit to him.

[indiansportsfan]

What hard challengers? He played in Sri Lanka futures, which is as weak as it can get. And then in Turkey futures, which also hasn't been very hard historically. Italy futures is a step up, but still not a Challenger.

[Varma]

I don't think this forum is obsessed with rankings by any means. Most of us here are asking for a pragmatic approach, that's all. Mixing a bunch of easy challengers, hard futures, with an occasional easy futures to hard challengers is definitely a wiser approach. Your ranking improves, you will get more money, and you have a higher probability of testing yourself against better opposition at times. This is neither a hunt of cheap points, nor an approach to gain an undeserved ranking. It gives the player the best of everything - ranking, money, chances.

- Varma

[arjun2761]

It gives the player the best of everything - ranking, money, chances.
- Varma

Agree with premise of this comment. The main reason, especially for a younger player, to play tougher competition is to improve their game. In a cricket analogy, you aren't going to learn to play 90 mph fast bowling if you only play slow medium pacers. That said, if you are constantly losing in the first round, it makes sense to play some easier tournaments for match play sharpness (for example, when coming back from injury) but you are unlikely to improve much (i.e., get to the next level) by beating up on low level competition.

Of course, the pragmatic reasons are also valid, in that improving your rankings often will allow you play the tougher tournaments. Winning easy money is also important for many unless they are well funded. But, for younger players, the the focus should be on improvement rather than chasing rankings. Can't fault Sumit for his planning as he progressing pretty well given his limitations and it appears that injury issues have been his greatest obstacle thus far.

[sameerph]

Sumit started with a straight sets win this week.

At $25K(+H) Italy F23 Futures, Pontedara (Clay)

[R1] (2) Sumit Nagal (IND,305) d. Antonio Massara (ITA,651) 64 75

I followed the scores in the second set and Sumit was 1-5 from where he won 6 straight games.

[sameerph]

Sumit wins thru a very close match.

At $25K(+H) Italy F23 Futures, Pontedara (Clay)

[R2] (2) Sumit Nagal (IND,305) d. Gian Marco MORONI (ITA,888) 62 36 76(5)

Sumit should have won this match much more easily as he won 118 points against 99 by the Italian player. But, he had to fight all the way thru as he could only convert 1 of the 8 break points in the third set. Then, in the tie break he was 1-5 down but came back and won 6 straight points to win the match. He has a habit of getting into trouble and wriggle out of it.

[Sin Hombre]

Sumit only operates in 2 modes - bakery service or a tough 3-setter.

[PKBasu]

No bakery service this week and last. This either suggests a dip in form or better quality opposition (last week was a $25K, this week is a $25K+H).

[sameerph]

Sumit has a tough task in the QF.

At $25K(+H) Italy F23 Futures, Pontedara (Clay)

[QF] (2) Sumit Nagal (IND,305) vs. Igor SIJSLING (NED,750)

Sijsling has been ranked in top 60 earlier. Seems to be on comeback from injury but not having great results this year so far.

[arjun2761]

OK, Sumit is back in the bakery business!

At $25K(+H) Italy F23 Futures, Pontedara (Clay)

[QF] (2) Sumit Nagal (IND,305) d. Igor SIJSLING (NED,750) 6-3, 6-0

Next up

[SF] (2) Sumit Nagal (IND, 305) vs. (4) Christian Lindell (SWE, 370)

[Sin Hombre]

Good win by Sumit Bakker.

What's Sumit's schedule for the coming weeks; he has withdrawn from both the Chinese CH and Italian futures.

[Rajiv]

Good win by Sumit Bakker.

If the Bakery Business tagline was a hit , Sumit Bakker is even better

[sameerph]

Good win by Sumit Bakker.

What's Sumit's schedule for the coming weeks; he has withdrawn from both the Chinese CH and Italian futures.

He cannot play anywhere next week as he withdrew late from Chengdu challenger. The week after that he is listed in $15 K futures in Germany. A bit surprising that he chose this over bigger Italy futures. Perhaps close to his training Base.
Bigger surprise is the week after that ( August 14) he has entered $125K challenger in Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic and has made the main draw. Is he going to make a trek all the way to Caribbean just for a week ?

[arjun2761]

Maybe he or his coach is craving a beach vacation?