Aus Open 2024 Qualifiers: Sumit Nagal win over Geoffrey Blancaneaux

Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal advanced in the Australian Open 2024 qualifiers on Wednesday (Jan 10), defeating France’s Geoffrey Blancaneaux to move closer to securing a spot in the main draw of the prestigious tournament. Nagal triumphed with scores of 6-3, 7-5 in a match that spanned 1 hour and 46 minutes. His next challenge will be against Australia’s Edward Winter.

Nagal, 26, began the first set with remarkable energy, quickly gaining a 4-1 lead. Despite a late effort from Blancaneaux to turn the tide, Nagal efficiently secured the set. The second set saw a more balanced competition, with the score tied at 5-5 at one point. It appeared the set might go to a tiebreaker, but Nagal wrapped it up with a 7-5 victory.

Notably, Nagal is the only Indian player who has won a set against tennis legend Roger Federer, which he accomplished at the 2019 US Open. Currently ranked 122nd in the world, he participated in the Australian Open main draw in 2021 but was defeated in the first round by Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis. Nagal aims not only to qualify for the main draw this year but also to surpass his previous performances. His most notable achievement so far was reaching the second round of the US Open in 2020. He hopes to exceed that achievement at the first Grand Slam of 2024 in Melbourne.