On Sunday, Sumit Nagal made history by becoming the first Indian in 42 years to reach the singles main draw of the Monte Carlo Masters after a hard-fought win in the final round of qualifiers. He secured his spot by defeating World No. 55 Facundo Diaz Acosta in a gritty match. He showcased his prowess on the clay courts with a 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 victory.
Nagal’s stellar performance this year includes notable wins. He triumphed over Alexander Bublik at the Australian Open in January and secured victory at the Chennai Open, propelling him into the top 100 of the ATP rankings. Recently, he also achieved a career-high ranking of 95.
However, Nagal faced disappointment in the men’s singles pre-quarterfinals of the Marrakech Open on April 3. In a closely contested match, Lorenzo Sonego of Italy defeated him 6-1, 3-6, and 4-6. Despite a strong start, Nagal couldn’t maintain his performance against the skilled Italian, particularly on clay courts.
Meanwhile, Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden, the world’s number one doubles pair and top seeds, are also vying for success at the prestigious clay tournament.
