One year ago, little-known Sumit Nagal generated plenty of buzz at the US Open when he won the opening set of his first-round match against the legendary Roger Federer. Sure, he won only seven games the rest of the way—after all, he was still Nagal, not Nadal—but for a Grand Slam main-draw debut, it was a pretty impressive showing.
This year, Nagal took another step forward with a four-set win over American Bradley Klahn. This one was not just personal—it also made Nagal the first Indian man to triumph in a Grand Slam singles match in seven years, since Somdev Devvarman in 2013.
Nagal’s win may seem unexpected because his greatest previous Grand Slam success came five years ago at Wimbledon where he won the junior doubles title.
Last year in addition to qualifying for the Open, he consistently reached the semifinals of the challenger tournaments he entered and even won one in Argentina.
The 5-foot-10, 152 pound Nagal is not going to overpower anyone on the court, relying instead on steady play. Against Klahn, he mustered just one ace overall, but was ruthlessly efficient, winning 80 percent of the points on his first serve, holding throughout the first two sets. Nagal made just one unforced error in his opening set and 17 overall, compared to 40 for Klahn. He also earned 17 break points and converted six en route to his 6-1, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 win.
Nagal's just excited to be in New York. "I wish I could go out and see the buildings, walk on the streets of New York,” he told one interviewer.
The reward for his stellar play? A second round showdown against No. 2 Dominic Thiem.
