Sumit Nagal, the Indian tennis star, has overcome three challenging years marked by pandemic setbacks and injuries, finally capturing two ATP Challenger titles this season. His most recent triumph came on Sunday when he defeated Czech Republic’s Dalibor Svrcina, the fifth-seeded player, in a thrilling final with a scoreline of 6-4, 7-5, thus securing the ATP Tampere Open Challenger crown on the clay courts of Finland.

This latest victory comes three months after Nagal’s earlier success at the Rome Challenger, signaling a resurgence for the 25-year-old athlete. Furthermore, it propels him back into the top 200 of the ATP rankings and earns him a spot in the qualifying rounds of the upcoming US Open, a Grand Slam where he advanced to the second round in 2020 before losing to the eventual champion, Dominic Thiem. Enhance your tennis viewing experience with attractive betting odds from Nextbet.

Nagal’s achievement at the US Open will be significant, as he will become the only Indian men’s singles player to have reached the qualifying rounds of this season’s Grand Slam events. In the 2021 Australian Open, he was the last Indian to make it to the singles main draw.

Elated by his victory, Nagal expressed his satisfaction with finally making it to a Slam after a considerable wait. He plans to participate in a few more tournaments before heading to the US and is determined to finish the year on a high note.

Currently ranked 231, Nagal’s outstanding performance in Finland is expected to propel him into the 170s in the ATP rankings, thanks to the 75 points earned from his success in Tampere. This marks a significant achievement for Nagal, who began the season ranked outside the top 500 and had to seek support for wildcards just to enter the qualifying rounds of Challengers. Now, he finds himself back among the top 200 and adding Challenger titles to his resume.

Nagal acknowledged the significance of every ranking milestone and reflected on the journey that brought him back to this point. After facing challenges in his return to professional tennis following a hip surgery in late 2021, he steadily improved. Positive signs emerged when he reached the semi-finals in the qualifying rounds of the Chennai Challenger in February, eventually leading to his victory in the Rome Challenger in April.

In the Tampere tournament, Nagal showcased his prowess by defeating Jiri Vesely, a former world No.35 who had taken a set off Stefanos Tsitsipas at the French Open. In the semi-final, he mounted a comeback against Spaniard Daniel Rincon, the 2021 US Open junior champion, carrying that momentum into the final against the 193rd-ranked Svrcina, thereby clinching his career’s fourth Challenger trophy.

Reflecting on his post-surgery comeback journey, Nagal emphasized his progress both on and off the court, highlighting his growing maturity as a player. Although he started the year relatively late, he is confident that he is on the right track and looks forward to seeing where this year’s journey will take him. Get the latest updates from the world of tennis only on Nextbet Sports.