Credit: X
Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal suffers a hard-fought 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, 4-6 defeat against Shang Juncheng to end his dream Australian Open 2024 run in the second round. Nagal created history after defeating 27th seed Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in the first round of the Australian Open.
The feat made him the first Indian since Ramesh Krishnan in 1989 to beat a seeded player in the singles main draw of a Grand Slam . Coming back to the round 2 fixture, Nagal continued where he left off against Bublik and took the first set 6-2 in dominant fashion in 40 minutes.
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But as the 18-year-old Chinese prodigy upped his game level the scores by winning the second set 3-6. Juncheng continued this hot streak despite Nagal's best efforts and won the third set 5-7 as both went blow for blow. Then in the final set, Sumit Nagal once again took the lead but Juncheng broke forward to clinch the tie by winning the fourth set 4-6.
Nagal took down Slovakia’s Alex Molcan in the final qualifying match to enter the main round. The 26-year-old didn't drop a single set in three matches of qualifying to reach the main draw. This was his fourth career entry in the main draw at a Grand Slam.
Coming back to Shang Juncheng, the 18-year-old will take on World number 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the third round after the Spaniard defeated Lorenzo Sonego. The defending Wimbledon champ registered a 6-4, 7-6, 6-3, 7-6 win to ascend forward.
