Sinner, Alcaraz warned of 'underdog' Djokovic as Somdev Devvarman backs Nagal to pull off another Australian Open upset

Sumit Nagal is all set to make his second consecutive main draw appearance at the Australian Open after a second-round exit last year.

Published on: Jan 11, 2025, 17:15:34 IST

By Aratrick Mondal

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Former India tennis player Somdev Devvarman, on Friday, backed Sumit Nagal to pull off another upset at the Australian Open when he takes on world No. 26 Tomas Machac from the Czech Republic on Monday at Melbourne Park. Nagal is all set to make his second consecutive main draw appearance at the Australian Open after a second-round exit last year.

Nagal had a breakout season in 2024, which began at the Australian Open. Denied a wildcard nomination by the All India Tennis Association (AITA), the 27-year-old, after battling through the qualifiers, upset 31st seed Alexander Bublik in straight sets and became the first Indian tennis player to defeat a seeded player in the singles main draw of a Major since Ramesh Krishnan at the 1989 Australian Open. He, however, succumbed in the second round.

Also Read: Australian Open 2025 men's draw, preview and prediction: Jannik Sinner, the man to beat in Melbourne?

A year later, Nagal, currently ranked 96 in the ATP rankings, earned a direct qualification into the Australian Open main draw. However, he has been handed a tough draw as he faces Czech up-and-comer Machac, who had stunned Novak Djokovic in Geneva last year.

Speaking to the media, in an interaction arranged by Sony Sports Network, ahead of the start of the tournament, Somdev, in response to a query from Hindustan Times, was quick to remind Nagal's win against France's Adrian Mannarino in straight sets at the Auckland Open qualifiers last week as he backed his compatriot to emulate his 2024 show in Melbourne.

"Machac is a very, very tough draw. While Sumit has had this season of his career in 2024, so has Machac - getting to where he is, beating a few top players along the way, and being seeded at the major is not an easy, easy thing to do. And Machac has done that by playing, you know, consistently at a very, very high level," he said.

"Sumit's playing good tennis as well. He had a top 100 win already this year. He beat Mannarino. So, you know, the first round of a major can always be a little tricky. Kind of who gets off to a hotter start sometimes does matter. But, you know, just looking at just their game styles, I would say Machac is the slight favorite going into this one. But I wouldn't put it past Sumit to get an upset. I think he has the game, he has the ability, he has the mindset. If Sumit Nagal plays to the best of his abilities, he's certainly got a chance to. To come up with another upset," he added.

Sinner, Alcaraz warned of 'underdog' Djokovic

Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner made it official in 2024 that the next generation has truly arrived, having shared the four Slams in a season of near misses for Novak Djokovic in majors. Heading into the first major of 2025, Sinner has once again been tipped as the heavy favourite to retain his Melbourne crown, while most predict an Alcaraz win over Djokovic in their potential quarterfinal clash.

Somdev, in response to a query from HT, admitted that while the Serb will have to become accustomed to the fact that he may no longer be the heavy favourite at a Slam any longer in his career, he did not write off the possibility of an unprecedented 11th Australian Open title for Djokovic.

"I think the changing of the guard has happened. It's happened in front of our eyes. Let's not forget that Rafa retired. Djokovic got injured. He had knee surgery. He came back, won the Olympics. But yes, the Slams in 2024 were all shared by Sinner and Alcaraz. So the changing of the guard has already happened. So now, every time Novak enters a major, he's not going to be one of the top two favourites. I think that's something that all tennis fans have to now get used to. But I wouldn't put anything past Novak. You know, being an underdog and succeeding is something he has done in the past. Now, can he remain healthy enough the entire season? And while he's getting older, the younger guys are kind of entering their prime a little bit. So will there be a physical mismatch that he will be able to counter? And if he finds the answers to those things, then, you know, you Never write Novak out of a, out of a tournament," he said.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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