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Sumit Nagal: Nangloi to Roger Federer via Mahesh Bhupathi
Sumit Nagal showed composure to cash in on Roger Federer’s slew of errors early on, winning the first set 6-4 but the Swiss maestro reeled off the next three 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Imagine being rewarded for the toil in the qualifying rounds with a spot in the main draw of one’s first Grand Slam, only to find the towering presence of Roger Federer up next. India’s Sumit Nagal made the most of the opportunity at the US Open by snatching a set from the 20-time Major winner to steal the attention of global tennis fans on Monday night.
The Delhi player, ranked 190, showed composure to cash in on the Swiss maestro’s slew of errors early on, winning the first set 6-4. Federer reeled off the next three 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, but was impressed by the fighting qualities and skill of an opponent who grew up in the mazy bylanes of West Delhi’s Nangloi with no tennis pedigree.
Federer praised Nagal for not being intimidated by the big occasion under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights in New York. “I guess maybe how he handled the moment. Never easy to come out and play your best. Even though it’s kind of what you live for, you dream about, playing on the big stage. So I think he did that very well,” Federer said about his 24-year-old opponent.
READ: It was amazing, couldn’t have dreamt of better Slam debut: Sumit Nagal
“I think his game is based on being really consistent, moving well, moving the ball around well—sort of very much a clay-courter. That’s also the surface he’s played basically the entire year almost. He knows what he can bring. That’s why I think he’s going to have a very solid career.”
With Nagal rhyming with Nadal, the social media was abuzz as Federer ceded the first set to his unfancied rival. The Swiss joked when he was asked about it during the courtside interview.
“If we look up at the scoreboard, we change the ‘G’ and add a ‘D’, did you think for a second there that it was Nadal?” asked the interviewer. “No!” Federer replied. “But may be for you guys and social media it is,” he smiled.
It was some journey in the still nascent career as an international tennis player.
It all began 11 years ago when Nagal, accompanied by his mother Krishna, attended the trials of Mahesh Bhupathi’s ambitious ‘Apollo Mission 2018’ project at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) courts. He was among the 1,000 kids at the Delhi leg of the trials. Krishna recalled on Tuesday how Sumit got hold of Bhupathi, who was watching kids on another court, and asked him to watch him play.
“They were so many children, and they were conducting trials in three shifts, morning to evening. Sumit’s father was not well, so I took him. He went to Mahesh and held his hand and asked him to watch him on the other court. He said ‘ok, let’s see you first’,” says Krishna Nagal.
He was selected for a project that aimed to produce India’s first Grand Slam champion by 2018. The programme was shelved two years later, but Bhupathi never left the hand of the boy, and continued supporting him.
Bhupathi rates the youngster highly. He has admired Nagal’s fearless attitude and a scorching forehand, which at times left Federer stranded on Monday. “He showed incredible composure against the greatest player in the world. Both he and his coaching team should be very proud of the improvements they have made this year,” said Bhupathi.
Nagal surprised Federer by breaking his serve in the third game when the Swiss maestro double faulted. The heavy spin Nagal generated on his forehand kept Federer on his toes, and the unforced errors (19 in the first set) that flew from Federer’s racquet added to the Indian’s cause. Federer restored order in the second and third sets but Nagal fought back in the fourth. He levelled at 2-2, hitting a brilliant inside-out forehand passing shot. Nagal immediately dropped serve but made Federer work hard to close out the contest. Serving for the match, Federer faced four break points but served strong to finish in two hours and 25 minutes.
READ: Roger Federer predicts a solid career for Sumit Nagal
“He loves putting pressure on the other guy,” Nagal said. “He’s always making you think of what he’s going to do, and that’s how I felt. Players I have played, I never had this feeling.”
The spotlight was turned on Nagal early in his career when he won the junior Wimbledon boys’ doubles title in 2015. In 2017, he won his first ATP Challenger title in Bengaluru but could not make much progress with injuries pegging him back. He started this year ranked 360 in the world but hit his stride on the Challenger circuit, making five semi-final appearances to boost his ranking. Playing against Frenchman Richard Gasquet in Hamburg last month, he twisted his ankle and took some time off before the US Open qualifying, where in the final round he trailed by a set and a break against Joao Menezes before making a fine comeback.
Nagal’s parents were glued to the TV at home in Punjabi Bagh. “When he is being praised by Roger Federer what more do you want. It makes you feel proud,” said father Suresh Nagal, a MCD school teacher. It vindicated Suresh’s decision to introduce his son to tennis. “He used to play cricket. I am a big tennis fan and I loved watching Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, so I wanted him to play tennis,” he said.
Nagal is fun loving. “He was a naughty kid, always up to something and that energy you can see on the court,” says Krishna.
When he was barely eight, Suresh handed his son a tennis racquet and took him to the DDA Sports Complex in Paschim Vihar. He gradually took to the sport. “There was no fixed coach for the first couple of years. We took him to nearby tennis clubs and whoever was available taught him. We were so busy with his school, taking him for tennis meant there was hardly any time left. Our relatives would get angry with us for not turning up on occasions,” says Suresh.
Nagal was making good progress in age group tournaments before Bhupathi noticed the spark in that clinic. “He would always beat players above his age,” Suresh says.
READ: Valiant Sumit Nagal goes down fighting to Roger Federer in 4 sets
Once he was selected in the Apollo programme, Suresh did not have to bother about the financial part. He trained at Bhupathi’s academy in Bengaluru, then moved to Spain and currently trains at Nensel Academy in Germany where he moved a year ago. His head coach is club director Sascha Nensel, who has worked with former World No. 4 Nicolas Kiefer and Julia Goerges.
“The sport is so expensive it is very difficult for a middle-class family to manage the finances. Had it not been for Bhupathi we don’t think we could have managed. He took the responsibility of sponsoring him after the programme was stopped after two years,” says Suresh. “He follows Nadal’s matches closely. He is fitness freak,” he adds.
A big moment came when Nagal made his Davis Cup debut in 2016 in Delhi against Spain, spearheaded by Nadal. “He was very happy. We had all gone to meet Nadal and took pictures with him,” recalls his mother.
