India’s top-ranked singles tennis player Sumit Nagal stunned World Number 27 Alexander Bublik of Kazakstan to move to the second round of the Australian Open 2024 on Tuesday. It was a sensational victory for Nagal as he won 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) in a match that lasted two hours and 38 minutes. This was the first time since 1989 that an Indian tennis player beat a seeded opponent in a Grand Slam. The last instance was back in 1989 when Ramesh Krishnan defeated Mats Wilander, the then world number one and defending champion at the Australian Open. This victory was one of the biggest achievements in Nagal’s career and a significant step forward for a tennis player who was in the headlines for his struggles.
In 2023, Nagal shared his financial struggles and said in an interview with PTI, that his annual budget to survive on the ATP Tour was around Rs 1 crore and he had just around Rs 80,000 in his account.
“If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the beginning of the year. It is 900 euros (approx Rs 80,000). I did get a bit of help. Mr Prashant Sutar is helping me with MAHA Tennis Foundation and I also get monthly (salary) from IOCL but I don’t have any big sponsor,” Nagal told PTI in an interview.
Following the interview, he received help from leading beverage company PepsiCo India and the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA). The financial help was crucial for the tennis player and his journey in the Australian Open till now has been a perfect culmination of his journey.
After not getting a wildcard entry to the Australian Open, Nagal took part in the qualification matches and with three wins on the trot, he booked his berth and also ended up earning around AUD 120,000.
The win against Bublik earned Nagal another AUD 180,000 (Rs 98 lakh approximately) and with the victory, this became the first time that he reached the second round of the Australian Open. The world number 137 Indian will be playing in the second round of a Grand Slam for the second time in his career.
Nagal will now face wildcard Juncheng Shang of China in the second round where a win will create history for the tennis player and will also earn him somewhere around AUD 255,000.
(With PTI inputs)
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