India tennis sensation Sumit Nagal will enter the top 100 of ATP Men's Rankings on Monday following his triumph in the final of the Chennai Open 2024 (of the Challenger series) over Italy's Luca Nardi.
This was Nagal's fifth Challenger title win, which will see the 26-year-old take the World No. 98 ranking in the latest update of the ATP Rankings.
He followed this victory up after turning heads at the Australian Open in January, beating the-then World No. 27 Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 in straight sets in the first round, before bowing out in the second round in four sets to China's Juncheng Shang.
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What is Sumit Nagal's latest ATP Ranking?
Following his triumphant run in the Chennai Open 2024, Nagal will be ranked 98 in the latest update of the ATP Men's Rankings that was released on Monday.
In the process, he will become only the 10th Indian male and the first since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 to enter the top 100 of the ATP Rankings.
What did Sumit Nagal say?
Speaking after his victory over Nardi in straight sets (6-1, 6-4), Nagal couldn't hide his happiness after learning that he would enter the top 100.
"I’m very emotional (today). You know, every tennis player’s dream is to be top 100 at least. And like I said earlier, to win this match in front of the home crowd in your own country, I don’t think I could have asked for a better place,” Nagal said.
“I don’t think there were words, everyone was crying. Less words, more tears. I’m still very emotional. It’s been very tough last year with being ranked 500, getting surgery done, not having financial support.
“A lot of ups and downs, you know. And I’m very happy that I found a way to push every single day and give myself a chance to be here."
Nagal also posted a series of tweets on X (formerly Twitter) to express his happiness as well as gratitude to all those who have been a part of his journey.
What an emotional day! Stoked to have cracked the Top 100 Ranking. Feels surreal to achieve it in my home country 🇮🇳 Extremely proud of my team for working hard everyday and giving ourselves a chance to be where we are today
— Sumit Nagal (@nagalsumit) February 11, 2024
(1/n) pic.twitter.com/v3grCQ76SE
What next for Sumit Nagal?
Nagal will next be seen in action in the Bangalore Open when he takes on France's Geoffrey Blancaneaux in the Round of 32 on Tuesday, February 13.
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