The third day of the Australian Open 2024 witnessed a monumental upset, as India’s Sumit Nagal toppled the 31st seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
This historic win marks Nagal’s first victory against a Top 50 player and propels him to the second round of a Grand Slam for only the second time in his career. He will next face China’s Juncheng Shang, a wildcard, for a place in the third round.
It was the biggest win of his career and he became the first Indian man in 35 years to beat a seeded player in a Grand Slam singles draw, matching Ramesh Krishnan’s feat in ousting defending champion Mats Wilander at Melbourne Park in 1989.
“Obviously, I’m not crying right now but at the same time it hasn’t completely sunk in,” the 26-year-old told reporters.
“These moments you’ll go through as an athlete. Sometimes you have a good year, sometimes a bad one.
“Last year was probably one of the best years ... (from having only) 900 euros, not getting into events for the first few months and relying on wild cards ... to finishing inside the top 130.
“From where I started, I was pretty proud of myself to be able to give myself another chance to be here, to qualify and play a second round. It’s a good feeling.”
Bublik, known for his flamboyant shot-making and unpredictable style, entered the match as the heavy favourite. However, Nagal, ranked 137th in the world, displayed remarkable composure and resilience from the outset.
He neutralised Bublik’s power with consistent baseline play and capitalised on the Kazakh’s unforced errors. Nagal served with confidence throughout the match, putting pressure on Bublik’s return game and dictating the rallies.
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The first set was a tight affair, with both players breaking each other’s servers. However, Nagal seized his opportunity at 5-4, breaking Bublik’s serve to claim the opener 6-4. This seemed to break Bublik’s momentum, as Nagal surged ahead in the second set, taking it 6-2 with a dominant display of aggressive baseline tennis.
After two shaky sets, Bublik finally steadied himself in the third, finding his rhythm and keeping pace with Nagal. But just as Nagal sniffed victory at 5-4, Bublik struck back with a crucial break, forcing a tense tiebreak.
Despite this valiant fightback from Bublik, Nagal held firm to close out the match 7-5, sparking jubilant celebrations amongst the Indian contingent in the stands.
Nagal’s victory is a landmark moment for Indian tennis, as he becomes only the fifth Indian men’s singles player to reach the second round of the Australian Open singles competition.
“I’ve worked very hard with my team and I’m proud of myself to be able to handle the things I’m going through and be able to perform the way I want to,” Nagal said.
“I want to go through this moment, take my time, enjoy being with my coach and have a conversation,” Nagal said. “Maybe eat a burger and call it a night.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
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