Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal crashed out of the Paris Olympics 2024 after a hard-fought Round 1 loss against Frenchman Co rentin Moutet on Sunday. The 26-year-old put up a courageous effort but fell short, losing 2-6, 6-2, 5-7 in a match that lasted 2 hours and 28 minutes.
Nagal showcased remarkable grit and determination to come back as he started the match on the back foot after losing the first set 2-6 to the Frenchman. The Indian number one rocked back into the contest in the second set by winning it 6-2 and levelling the match.
The decisive third set saw both players winning games and forcing a tiebreaker with some exciting tennis. Despite Nagal’s incredible efforts, Moutet, with a rousing home crowd, managed to clinch the set 7-5 and secure a hard-fought victory to qualify for the next round.
Ahead of the Summer Games, Nagal spoke about the pressure of playing at the Olympics. “The funny part of the Olympics is that you never know what you can do, it is not the same as playing a Grand Slam. You can come out for the first match and can completely freeze, the pressure you have is very different. It takes some getting used to,” Nagal said, as quoted by TOI