India’s Sumit Nagal defeated Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 in the first round of the men’s singles in Australian Open 2024. He became the first Indian after Ramesh Krishnan since 1989, to beat a seeded player in a Grand Slam.
In a remarkable victory, India’s Sumit Nagal defeated World No. 31 Alexander Bublik with a straight-set triumph of 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(5) at the Australian Open.
Nagal’s achievement marks a historic moment as he becomes the first Indian since Ramesh Krishnan at the 1989 Australian Open to defeat a seeded player at a Grand Slam.
Born on August 16, 1997, in Jhajjar, Haryana, Sumit Nagal began playing tennis at the age of eight at a local sports club. Recovering from injuries, Nagal increased his ranking to 122 after being outside the top 500 last year. His strong qualifying campaign at the Australian Open, where he didn’t drop a set in three matches, showcased his good form.
Sumit Nagal, the last Indian to play in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam at the 2021 Australian Open, received a singles wildcard at the time. In the 2020 US Open, Nagal achieved another milestone as the first Indian in seven years to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam.