Indian tennis ace Sumit Nagal crashed out in the first round of US Open 2024 on Tuesday morning (August 27). Nagal went down in straight sets to Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor to end India's singles challenge at the American Grand Slam. (More Tennis News)
After losing the first two sets in a straightforward manner, Nagal took the fight to Griekspoor in the third, breaking the Dutchman's serve which led to a tiebreak. But his opponent prevailed narrowly there, as the final scoreline read 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) in Griekspoor's favour.
Nevertheless, with his appearance at the Flushing Meadows, the 73rd-ranked Nagal became the first Indian since 2019 to play in all four Grand Slams of a calendar year. Before Nagal, it was Prajnesh Gunneswaran who had done it in 2019, and Yuki Bhambri achieved the feat in 2018.
The 27-year-old from Jhajjar, Haryana made it to the second round in the Australian Open but failed to cross the opening hurdle at the French Open as well as Wimbledon. Nagal was also shown the exit door in the first round of the Paris Olympics by Frenchman Corentin Moutet.
