Sumit Nagal had a combined 2024. On the Australian Open, he got here by means of the qualifiers and surprised the then World No. 27 Alexander Bublik within the first spherical, and in February, he broke into the ATP top-100 for the primary time.
In April on the Monte Carlo clay, he began within the qualifying rounds and almost entered the spherical of 16 earlier than shedding narrowly to Holger Rune (No.7) in three units.
Propelled by a trophy and a runner-up end in consecutive Challengers in June — once more on his beloved purple dust — he obtained to a career-best rating of No. 68 in mid-July.
However the 27-year-old’s lack of success on the different three Slams — French Open, Wimbledon and US Open — will rankle him, and so will his 1-11 win-loss report on the Tour ranging from the Paris Olympics.
There was additionally the controversy concerning his non-availability for the Davis Cup World Group I tie towards Sweden in September — a difficulty he didn’t wish to touch upon — that India misplaced badly (0-4).
Because the 2025 season looms, Nagal, now ranked 98th within the World, informed The Hindu in an interview that he was assured of studying from the experiences of the final 12 months and making a push for the ATP top-50. Excerpts:
Since breaking into the top-100, you’ve gotten managed to remain there. How do you describe your season?
I really feel like I performed two totally different seasons. The primary seven months have been totally different, and across the US Open and post-US Open, issues have been totally different. The primary few months I used to be actually match and taking part in nicely. The arrogance was excessive and I actually loved being on the courtroom. As soon as my again gave up a bit, and I actually couldn’t discover out what the rationale was, the coaching grew to become much less and there was a number of worrying on the courtroom. I misplaced observe a bit of there.
You competed in any respect 4 Majors, a primary in your profession. Then, you performed a number of Masters tournaments which included your Monte Carlo excessive, a number of ATP 500s and 250s. What have been the most important learnings from being within the higher tier?
If I’m speaking about taking part in the higher-ranked opponents, [I learnt that] it’s important to be on prime of your sport as a result of the margin could be very much less. Everybody serves nicely, hits nicely, strikes nicely. So, it’s important to present that you’re able to struggle and play the primary and final factors on the identical excessive degree. That’s the distinction I really feel from Challengers to the ATP Tour. You don’t get so many free factors [on the Tour].
So how do you price your self? Do you are feeling you belong to this stage?
Positively. I very a lot consider that I belong to the top-100. I’ll again myself for it. I simply should be a bit of smarter in a number of issues, like scheduling, health routines… if that’s performed, I ought to be okay.
You’re the solely Indian taking part in in singles within the larger occasions. Do you are feeling the stress?
Probably not. I simply really feel unhappy. I want I additionally had some Indian mates taking part in. It’s good to see two, three individuals at a much bigger occasion, share the most important stage and share some dinners. It will get very lonely in any other case. Clearly, in tennis, issues don’t change in a single day. I actually hope there’s a time when now we have two or three individuals taking part in at a really excessive degree.
You’ve got put collectively successful streaks in Challengers. Earlier in 2024, you received the title in Chennai and reached the semifinals in Bengaluru in back-to-back weeks. What does it take to copy one thing related on the Tour degree? What’s the gulf in problem that you just’re ?
It’s very related should you have a look at the bodily facet of issues. You must be match as a result of matches are getting longer and more durable. There have been a number of instances within the ATP 250s the place I felt like I ought to have received, however didn’t. So, as a substitute of shedding within the second spherical or spherical of 16 on a Thursday, I may have gone deeper within the event. There was a match the place I used to be serving 40-love up and ended up shedding. Then there was one the place I used to be a set and a break up and misplaced. If I may have circled these, the 12 months would have been very totally different. But it surely’s nice. It’s my first expertise. Clearly, I can’t count on a very good draw on a regular basis and typically I’ve to take it up as a problem.
How does your sport measure as much as the prevailing requirements in males’s tennis? We see gamers getting larger and taller…
I want I used to be taller. I actually want. However then, I can’t change that. So, for me, to provide myself an opportunity, it’s to be like how David Ferrer was. I’ve tried to repeat him. If I might be bodily match and mentally robust, preventing for each ball, making that additional ball on a regular basis, I will probably be doing nicely.
Recreation-wise, what have you ever labored on? What do it’s important to get higher at?
I’m practising a number of serves, backhands and transitions to the web. These three are my largest objectives. I get higher, however there’s a number of room to upscale.
If you play at large tournaments, you meet a number of prime gamers. What have you ever learnt from them?
When the highest gamers get the racquet on the ball, they don’t miss. It’s unbelievable how they do it as a result of it’s tremendous powerful. They hit it laborious they usually don’t miss. It’s quite simple to say however powerful to do. That’s the place the distinction comes. People who find themselves in a position to do it is going to go excessive up the rankings. I performed the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi final 12 months too and that was in all probability the primary time I obtained to see so many top-ranked gamers. It was the identical factor with everybody – if they’ve the racquet in place, they don’t miss.
What do you suppose was the excessive level of 2024? And what may you’ve gotten performed higher?
To have the ability to compete for a lot of months. For nearly a 12 months and a half, nothing main occurred to me and I used to be on the courtroom practising and getting higher. That was actually good. Previously, I couldn’t actually play for the entire 12 months. It was on and off, and that didn’t give me the prospect to play on the highest degree. In direction of the top of 2023, I knew I used to be taking part in actually good tennis. I used to be keen and hungry to start out the subsequent 12 months.
Are you feeling the identical now?
Sure. I’m really trying ahead to it. I’ve by no means loved going to Australia however for the reason that starting of 2024, my perspective has modified.
What did that one win towards Bublik let you know?
I don’t suppose it was simply that one match. It was the entire event. It felt like I had discovered easy methods to play on these courts. Once I was younger, I struggled fairly a bit. However now, I’m extra comfy taking part in in these circumstances. If I benefit from the circumstances, nothing issues to me.
How do you keep your focus? You’ve got handled many accidents previously. Not too long ago, the endless controversy concerning Davis Cup choice flared up once more…
Nothing, to be sincere. You simply hold doing your personal factor. Tennis is a really lonely sport. It doesn’t actually trouble me as a result of I’ve larger and higher issues to do, and I’ve to enhance a lot on my sport that my entire focus goes in direction of it.
Have you ever set any targets for 2025? What do you wish to enhance on?
I’d love to interrupt into the top-50. I’m going to push for it as a result of 2024 was a very good studying expertise. It was the primary time taking part in the ATP calendar. Within the coming season, I’ll be smarter with scheduling and I’ll go for the top-50.
