European Challengers 2020

[Rajiv]

yes 6-3 in the final set

in the process achieving a CH of 122 in live rankings

[Omkara]

Now let's beat wawrinka. Hope he doesn't get beaten by some one else today

[PKBasu]

[R3] 6-Sumit Nagal (IND, 127) d. WC-Jiri Lehecka (CZE, 617) 57 76(4) 63

2 hour 22 minute humdinger, but Sumit came through as expected. Just 1 ace, and 9 DFs from Sumit, but his first serve percentage was a good 70%. They broke each other 5 times each, but Sumit came through in the crunch moments, and in fact won 108 points to 102 as well.

Wawrinka is down 2-5, now 3-5 in the first set of his R3 match. The winner will face Sumit in the QF.
Update: 35 year old Wawrinka (CHF, 17) has lost the first set to 27 year old Oscar Otte (GER, 217) 3-6.

[PKBasu]

[R1] N. Sriram Balaji / Kimmer Coppejans (IND/BEL) d. 2-Hugo Nys/Andres Moltani (MON/ARG) 75 46 (10-6)

Top seeded Divij Sharan and Robin Haase are serving for the match at 6-3, 5-2.

Wawrinka came back to win 36 75 61, and will now play Sumit Nagal in the QF.

Sharan/Haase won comfortably:

[R1] 1-Divij Sharan/Robin Haase (IND/NED) d. Jonas Forejtek/Michael Vrbensky (CZE/CZE) 63 62

[sameerph]

Nice upset win by Bala and his partner over the second seeds and to make it a perfect day for us Sumit and his partner upset the third seeds.

[R1] Sumit Nagal (IND) / Ilya Ivashka (BLR) d. (3) Artem Sitak (NZL) / Igor Zelanay (SVK) 36 63 10-8

Next up for our players -

Singles

[QF] (6) Sumit Nagal (IND,127) vs. (1) Stanislav Wawrinka (SUI,17)

Doubles

[QF] (1) Divij Sharan (IND) / Robin Haase (NED) vs. (WC) Jiri Lehecka (CZE) /Tomas Machac (CZE)
[R1] Sumit Nagal (IND) / Ilya Ivashka (BLR) vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) / Arthur Rinderknech (FRA)
[R1] N. Sriram Balaji (IND) / Kimmer Coppejans (BEL) vs. Steven Diez (CAN) / Blaz Rola (SLO)

[PKBasu]

So almost exactly a year since he played the GOAT in the first round at the US Open, Sumit takes on his second Slam titlist, the former FO, AO and USO champion Stan Wawrinka. It should be a humdinger. May the better man win on the day. The Swiss #2 will have to bring his A game to get the better of the India #1, who is better-prepared to being a front-runner after the experience with the Swiss #1 last year. The smallest chink in the door, and Sumit will drive a car through it. The match is scheduled for 5:30pm IST.

[PKBasu]

Of the four seeded pairs in doubles, only one still remains in the draw -- the top seeds, Sharan/Haase.

[sameerph]

Sumit takes the first set 6-2 against Stan.

C,mon, one more set.

[suresh]

Stan is up 4-0 in the second set! Ouch.

[sameerph]

Too many double faults and errors from Sumit in this set. Nerves ?

[PKBasu]

Sadly, a bit too much like what happened with the Swiss #1 a year ago. Winning the first set is terrific, but Indian tennis players seem easily satisfied with that. Come on, Sumit, fight back now!!

[PKBasu]

There's a Czech wildcard waiting in the semifinal. A big set is all that it will take to storm to the final. Come on Sumit!!

[QF] 1-Stan Wawrinka (CHF, 17) vs. 6-Sumit Nagal (IND, 127) 26 60 00

[sameerph]

Lost the second set 0-6. As I see, Stan is making him play an extra ball and Sumit is giving it away by going for too much. He needs to be patient. But, perhaps Sumit feels the only way he can beat Stan is by outhitting it, not by being patient.

[sameerph]

Getting away from him now, 0-3 down in the third set. Pretty bad play by Sumit after winning that first set. Just trying to overpower Stan is not going to work.

[sameerph]

All over.

[QF] (6) Sumit Nagal (IND,127) l. (1) Stanislav Wawrinka (SUI,17) 62 06 16

Unfortunately, I did not see the first set and saw the next 2 where it all went downhill for Sumit.