Sumit Nagal thread

[jai_in_canada]

This is so great to see Sumit qualify into the main draw of a very prestigious 500 tournament.
Does anyone know if Sumit is traveling with a coach and/or physio?

[RohitG]

I think he is travelling with his physical trainer Milos Galelic. He was part of Somdev's team before.

[Sanjay]

Wow, I completely forgot about this match today and great to see Sumit winning!

His next opponent has a Career Grand Slam. In doubles.

[sameerph]

Yes, tough match-up.

At Barcelona Open, ATP 500

[R1] (Q) Sumit Nagal (IND,135) vs. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA,70)

Herbert easily beat Sumit last year in Cologne but that was indoor hard courts which is usually Sumit's weakest surface and strongest for Herbert. Hope we see a different results on clay.

[arjun2761]

Probably one of the tougher options among those the qualifiers were up against. However, Herbert's best W/L on the ATP tour is on grass, so clay is where Sumit should be able to get him....

[vparam]

Smart decision for Nagal to play and qualify into a ATP 500 tournament as he played 2 opponents ranked below him and is guaranteed a bigger payday than if had he won a challenger tournament. Wish Prajnesh would take this same route as Sumit rather than playing for peanuts in the latter part of his career in the challenger circuit. I personally don’t see PG getting back to top 100 so playing for bigger prize money should be his top priority, assuming his ranking allows him to enter qualies in ATP tournaments.

[jayakris]

^^ Tue, but it is also a matter of personal confidence in doing well in qualies at that level. Maybe PG doesn't feel it right now.

[prasen9]

Sure. But, again, at his age, he needs to risk it and go for it. If not, well the fallback is there. Or at least take some risk and mix it up.

[RohitG]

ATP 250 qualies path fetch you similar points and prize money as the mid to high challengers. Only difference is if you go deep i.e. SFs and beyond at these 250s which our guys seldom do. They have been winning 3 matches or so. So which is easier, to win R16 at ATP 250 after qualies or an SF at a challenger. I think that's what separates the approaches of the players. I think for PG points matter more than prize money now. I agree about 500s and 1000s giving you a much better return though.

[PKBasu]

Probably one of the tougher options among those the qualifiers were up against. However, Herbert's best W/L on the ATP tour is on grass, so clay is where Sumit should be able to get him....

Absolutely. Apart from losing in Q1 last week in Monte Carlo, Herbert has not played another singles match on clay this year, while Sumit has lived off the surface! Good opportunity to pull a morale-boosting win.

[PKBasu]

This is so great to see Sumit qualify into the main draw of a very prestigious 500 tournament.
Does anyone know if Sumit is traveling with a coach and/or physio?

I love the way Sumit is making this (qualifying into the main draws of ATP tournaments) a routine matter during the clay season. In normal circumstances (ie, in a non-Covid year) he would be well inside top-100 by now.

Fabbiano beat Wawrinka at Wimbledon in 2018 (after beating Yuki in 4 sets in R1) and Tsitsipas there in R1 the following year, so he is a rare Italian who thrives on grass. But he's no slouch on clay. Very nice win.

[sameerph]

Sumit at 3-3 in the first set. No break of serve. Sumit had a breakpoint opportunity in the last service game of Herbert but he saved it with some strong serving.

[sameerph]

Still going with serve at 5-5 in first set. Just that 1 breakpoint for Sumit so far in the match.

Couple of break points for Sumit at 40-15 but Herbert saved both with strong serves again and holds for 6-5.

And Sumit saves 3 breakpoints at ad-out but eventually gets broken to lose the first set 5-7.

[sameerph]

And he got outplayed in second set. Herbert was too good on the day for Sumit.

At Barcelona Open, ATP 500

[R1] (Q) Sumit Nagal (IND,135) l. Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA,70) 57 06

[Sanjay]

What was Sumit's grouse? He was complaining to the umpire and said something to Herbert after the loss.