Until next time, folks! This is Shivansh Gupta taking your leave for now. Ciao!
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me on this live blog. It was an absolute pleasure to bring you all the live updates of this important first round match. Do join us for the next live blog and stay tuned to this space for more from the world of Tennis and other sports.
Sumit started the last set on a positive note. After being broken early, he broke back instantly. But Federer brought his classic service game to seal the deal.
In both the second and third set, the audience was treated to long rallies and games, with the latter extending beyonf 10 minutes.
Federer broke early in the third set too and didn't give Sumit Nagal any breathing space.
In the next set, he began to find his feet and stablized as the game went on. He broke early in this set and raced to a 6-1 victory.
In the first set, Federer just didn't turn up. 10 winners and 19 unforced errors to go along with ferocious forehand passes and precise winners by Nagal.
Well, let's give it up for Sumit Nagal here. He put up a mighty good show of grit, determination and defence. He caught Federer off-guard with his aggressive forehand exploits in the first set and we saw glimpses of what this talented 22-year-old is capable of.
FOR THE 19TH TIME IN A ROW, FEDERER HAS ADVANCED TO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE US OPEN
6-4: GAME, SET AND MATCH, ROGER FEDERER! Big serve to Nagal's backhand, who is unable to keep it in and that's that!
5-4: MATCH POINT FOR FEDERER! BIG SERVE TO GET THERE!
5-4: MISSED BY A WHISKER! SUMIT WAS MID-AIR WHEN HE DRILLED THAT FOREHAND, BUT IT LANDED RIGHT OUTSIDE THE WHITE LINE.
5-4: Federer caught out of position as NAGAL TAKES ADVANTAGE.
5-4: GONE WITH THE WIND! TWO ACES AND A WINNER TO DEUCE THE GAME. FEDERER IS IN A HURRY TO FINISH THE MATCH!
5-4: "Placed with geometric precision" as the commentators say. He uses his big ace to his rescue.
5-4: 3 BREAK POINTS FOR NAGAL. THAT WAS JUST LOOSE FROM FEDERER! Porr return.
5-4: First point to Nagal. Federer seemed to have lost balance there and ended up hitting the return into the net. Sumit makes it 0-30 with a great forehand across the court.
FEDERER TO SERVE FOR VICTORY AND THE CROWD IS ON ITS FEET.
5-4: He's not done yet, is Sumit. Federer with a backhand slice return to Nagal, who then forces the veteran wide and then delivers the punch with a forehand down the line winner.
5-3: 40-15 to the 22-year-old as Roger returns two of the four serves long.
SUMIT SERVING TO STAY IN THE MATCH.
5-3: HOLD FEDERER AND THE THIRD SEED IS ONE GAME AWAY FROM THE WIN! Coming to the point, he had to reach out wide to his forehand for the volley after a beaming forehand pass attempty by Nagal, but that stop volley was just so full of precision.
4-3: 40-0 for Federer, who just served his 10th ace of the night.
4-3: Nagal holds! Rare backhand return miss by Federer. Second serve at 40-15 by Nagal and an eager Federer hurried into the shot and ended up losing the game.
4-2: Federe is just two games away from victory.
3-2: 30-15 to Federer. Once again, he sends Sumit wide, forcing him to stretch extensively for the return and in the meantime, he runs to the net and get the desired result. Brilliant volley combinations at display.
3-2: Federer seals the game as Sumit fails to inch ahead after breaking Federer.
2-2: Three break points for Federer and make that two, says Mr. Sumit. His forehands have stolen the limelight from Federer's backhands on most occasions tonight. Glaring winner down the line.
2-2: NAGAL BREAKS AND WE ARE BACK LEVEL! Oh, boy! Let's take some time to process that. Body lunging backwards, loads of topspin on the forehand cross-court and another passing winner past Federer! Sumit is putting up a show in this set
2-1: OPPORTUNITY MISSED? Nagal had the advantage to himself, but once again his demons come back to haunt him. He hasn't been as successful with his backhand as he has been with his forehand.
2-1: That was the shot of the day so far from Sumit. CLINICAL STUFF, TO SAY THE LEAST. He stood back on the Federer return, used the spring to perfection and placed the cross-court forehand winner on the line.
2-1: LOVE-HOLD TO NAGAL. Brillitantly done.
2-0: AFTER COUPLE OF DEUCES, FEDERER HOLDS!
1-0: 21 SHOTS LATER, FEDERER OUTLAST SUMIT, WHO PUT A BRILLIANT DEFENSIVE FIGHT. The Indian was made to work hard to cover the court, but he was caught wrong-footed by a Federer return down the centre.
1-0: FEDERER BREAKS AS SUMIT'S FRUSTRATION CONTINUES TO RISE. Advantage was with Federer, who inched ahead with a more confident looking forehand winner down the line. In the subsequent point, Nagal hit the forehand long.
0-0: Advantage Nagal. Federer's forehand travels wide an on the next serve, Sumit's backhand crashes into the net. BACK TO DEUCE.
Nagal to serve first.
To put Federer's resurgence today into perspective, here's a little something for you dear readers:
6-2: THIRD SET TO FEDERER! UNFORCED ERROS BEGINNING TO CREEP IN FROM NAGAL, WHO ONCE AGAIN, HITS A BACKHAND HALF-VOLLEY INTO THE NET.
5-2: SPECIAL, THAT IS A LEGEND AT WORK! A ferocious serve to Nagal's backhand, who was barely able to land the returns in and what happens next had the whole stadium on its feet. Federer charges to the net executes a near perfect slice volley.
The Swiss now serving to for the set.
5-2: LIGHTNING SERVE AS SUMIT PLAYS OUT AN IMPORTANT HOLD.
Nagal serving to stay in the match.
5-1: He is running with it now. Another comfortable hold as he plays out love hold. Tops it off with an ace.
4-1: FEDERER BREAKS AND IS COMING BACK TO FORM IN THE THIRD! After starting game four on a strong note, with stinking forehand winners, Sumit commits two unforced errors. A lob that falls just long followed by ramming an on-the-move backhand into the net.
3-1: Good, aggressive service game as Nagal isn't able to keep the returns in-bounds.
2-1: NAGAL ON THE BOARD. He is not going to give up anytime soon, is Nagal. Despite jaw-dropping shots from Federer, the youngster holds his composure and secures the game with blazing serves.
2-0: SCINTILLATING TENNIS, FEDERER. NOT ONCE, BUT TWICE. Plays the ball short with dropshots, forcing Nagal to play fetch and then obliging with a simple volley on an open court.
2-0: Federer holds.
1-0: FEDERER BREAKS EARLY IN THE THIRD. The first three point by Nagal were extremely loose and Federer punishes him to take the lead.
Nagal to serve first.
A quick recap. From 19 unforced errors in Set 1 to 20 winners in the second, Federer is lifting his game tonight. On the other hand, the challenge for the Indian youngster is to stay level-headed and continue to use his forehands to great effect.
6-1: FEDERER TAKES SET 2. BOUNCES BACK AND HE DRAWS LEVEL. After failing to capitalise on six set points, Federer coverts the seventh. The third seed will take a lot of confidence from this set.
DEUCE #5. Advantage was with Nagal. Once again, Federer tried to put pressure on his opponent by charging to the net, but failed to put away the half-volley. He then followed it up with a stellar backhand winner down the line.
DEUCE #5. Are we in for another 10-minute game like the first set? Nagal isn't letting go off this game just yet and is taking full advantage of Federer's poor serve, who has just served another double fault.
That was simply dispatched by Nagal. He is now showing what he can do with the backhand. Another long rally and once again, Nagal comes good.
3 set points saved by Nagal. Deuce no.2
5-1: Federer started with a brilliant half-volley followed by a smash. Sumit, like he has done all night today, got another pass through Federer. Federer then pulled off another 1-2 combination before a poor half-volley on the forehand prompted a brilliant winner by Sumit, who placed to perfection on the baseline.
Federe now serving for the match!
5-1: SUMIT PULLS ONE BACK! Postive start by Nagal. Made it 30-0 with a sumptuous passing winner down the line after a Federer frop shot. Then, Federer oozed some class with a thunderous winner to Sumit's backhan fromt he centre of the court. Sumit then made it 40-15 with brilliant ball striking. He is putting high pressure on Federer with fierce forehands and once again, they come good.
Nagal now serving to stay in the match.
5-0: HE IS CLEANING THINGS UP, IS FEDERER! He plays out a brilliant service game and there isn't much Sumit can do. He was hardly able to reach the serves on his bakchand as two of those flew out to the spectators.
4-0: GAME FEDERER! HE BREAKS FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SET! Second serve has been a little too central for Federer, who is now pouncing at every opportunity coming his way. His forehands are beginning to look good now. He was up 40-0, before a forehand return was rammed into the net. But he made no further mistakes and with his backhand slices troubling Sumit, he executed a clinical pass to seal the game.
You are forced to wonder how much does Nagal have it in him and how much longer can he hang in there! For sure, he is low on arsenal, but we are no alien to history which suggests it's your strategy sometimes that can cut through your opponent harder than your arsenal.
3-0: Roger Federer is finally finding his feet. That's more like Roger Federer! Confident on the first serves, covering his territory well and winning the long rallies.
Phew, that some game, wasn't it. The duration of that long was 10 minutes and 50 seconds.
2-0: TWIN DOUBLE FAULTS BY SUMIT AND THE GAME GOES TO FEDERER!
Deuce #4. That's the Federer we know! Sumit pushes Federer wide with a big service to his backhand and then charges to the for the kill. But Federer was up to it and pulled off a great passing winner cross-court.
Advantage Sumit! Stand and deliver. Two quality forehands by Sumit and he is up again.
DEUCE NO.3 AND WE ARE IN EIGHT MINUTES INT THE GAME! AFTER SAVING TWO BREAK POINTS, Sumit had the advantage with a brilliant serve to Federer's backhand, but the Swiss drew back level with a great backhand winner
DEUCE NO.2 as Sumit and Federer indulge in a long rally, with the latter darting left and right to fetch the ball. A loose loopy return from the Swiss and Nagal smashed a feriocious winner down the line.
Rohan Bopanna is watching his fellow countryman battle it out from the stands at the Arthur Ashe.
1-0: INCREDIBLE! WHAT ATHLETICISM BY SUMIT! LOOK AT THAT ANTICIPATION BY NAGAL. Federer chipped the service straight back to Nagal, who manouevered the ball really well. Federer then pushed him deep to his backhand with a stinking forehand cross-court drive, but the Indian managed to lob it back to Federer. At that point, most people, including me, thought that Federer would have killed the game with that over-head volley across the T, but Nagal ran back and clinched the point with a great backhand pass.
1-0: Finally! After multiple faults an forehand returns falling wide, Federer wins the first game after Nagal managed to take the game to deuce twice.
On the other hand, I AM STILL WONDERING HOW SUMIT HAS PULLED THIS OFF. It takes immense mental strength to hold your nerves against a player like Federer. He is moving well, playing a great defensive game and has kept great composure!
If we are to sum up the first half, there isn't much to say about Federer's game. He has looked weak on the serve and safe to say, a tad bit nervous. Multiple unforced errors while trying too hard to press has cost him the first set.
4-6: SUMIT NAGAL TAKES SET NO.1 !!! YOU ABSOLUTE BEAUTY!!0-30 TO 40-30, that was just a great show of mental effort. After two winners by Federer, he hit three consecutive unforced errors and to Sumit's credit, his brilliant defensive display has earned him this mini victory.
4-5: SUMIT TO SERVE FOR the FIRST SET! THIS IS STUNNING WORK BY THE YOUNGSTER! IMAGINE PLAYING YOUR FIRST EVER GRAND SLAM MATCH AGAINST A PLAYER LIKE ROGER FEDERER. Coming to the point, Federer managed to save one break point, but on the next serve, hit a backhand half-volley into the net.
NAGAL HAS THREE CHANCES TO BREAK! WE ARE ONLY IN THE NINTH GAME AND FEDERER HAS MADE 14 UNFORCED ERRORS! 0-40 IN THE FAVOUR OF NAGAL.
4-4: Sumit will take alot of confidence from that game. This was his best serving game of the match so far as he forced three errors from the Swiss. Great pace and placement on the first two serves and a couple of loose points by Federer.
4-3: Sumit struggling against high pressing by Federer, who is sending the returns down with a lot of steam. Great placement by Federer.
3-3: Federer and Sumit play out convincing holds respectively. In the 5th game, Federer showed glimpses of what's to come for the Jhajjar-born player. 1-2 combination and when the 20-time Grand Slam champion finds rhythm, the opponent can only watch.
2-2: SUMIT DRAWS LEVEL! This is Sumit Nagal's first hold. He catches Federer going the wrong way in the final point of the game.
2-1: SUMIT BREAK FEDERER WINS HIS FIRST EVER GAME IN A GRANDSLAM. A double fault by Federer hands Sumit Nagal his first game of the night and the 22-year-old is now on the serve.
2-0: Federer creates instant pressure on the server. He takes on the second serve, pushing his opponent deep with a huge forehand down the line and then comes forward to the net for a volley winner.
1-0: Nagal begins his night by hitting a forehand return wide off Federer's second serve. Federer follows it up with an ace to Nagal's backhand. On the next serve, the Indian wins his first point of the match with a pass to Federer's forehand. Federer then closes out the game with two consecutive serve and volley combinations.
Federer to serve first at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
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