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In what was once his first major draw look on the French Open, India’s Sumit Nagal gave a good account of himself. He ran exhausting as he normally does, dictated issues along with his forehand now and again, or even threatened to degree a dramatic fightback. However it wasn’t rather sufficient as 18th seed Karen Khachanov defeated him 6-2, 6-0, 7-6(5) within the opening around on Monday.

Sumit Nagal gave a decent account of himself at the French Open(REUTERS)
Sumit Nagal gave a good account of himself on the French Open(REUTERS)

Having reached a career-high score of 80 in April, this was once the primary time Nagal was once competing in the primary draw of a Grand Slam with no need a wild card or the qualifiers direction. Ranked 95 now, and enjoying on his most popular floor, he would were hopeful of incomes his 3rd win at a Primary. However Khachanov proved too robust in the course of the two hours and 27 mins on Courtroom 7.

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Nagal were given damaged early, in spite of saving 3 spoil issues, to head 1-2 down sooner than play was once interrupted for an hour and a part because of rain. With the prerequisites so much heavier when motion resumed, the 26-year-old struggled to generate top-spin and impose himself.

Khachanov was once in entire regulate after the spoil and raced in the course of the first two units. He was once serving for the fit at 5-4 within the 3rd however Nagal broke again sooner than forcing a tie-breaker. It appeared the momentum had shifted decidedly however the Russian regained his composure to near out the competition.

The overall ranking most likely didn’t do justice to how smartly Nagal performed as he did have his moments. His first serve share was once 73, as in comparison to his opponent’s 64, and he even earned as many as 9 spoil issues. However he may convert simply one among them and was once most definitely responsible of being too passive in key issues.

Total, regardless that, it’s been a memorable yr to this point for Nagal. He overcame Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik on the Australian Open in January to transform the primary Indian since 1989 to overcome a seeded participant at a Grand Slam.

Weeks later, he received the ATP Challenger match in Chennai sooner than attaining the semi-finals in Bengaluru. After a first-round loss at Indian Wells, he beat Thirty eighth-ranked Matteo Arnaldi within the opener at Monte-Carlo and took a collection off Thirteenth-ranked Holger Rune in around two, which confident him a place in the primary draw at Roland Garros.