Sumit Nagal faces tough French Open opener against Karen Khachanov

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / May 24, 2024, 14:05 IST

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Sumit Nagal, India's top-ranked singles player, faces world number 18 Karen Khachanov in the French Open's opening round. Nagal, ranked 94th globally, qualified for the main draw due to consistent performances on tour. However, he has struggled with form, missing the Madrid and Rome Masters and having first-round exits at the Bordeaux Challenger and Geneva Open.

Sumit Nagal faces tough French Open opener against Karen Khachanov

Sumit Nagal (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: India's top-ranked singles player, Sumit Nagal, faces a challenging opening round at the French Open as he prepares to take on world number 18, Karen Khachanov of Russia, on Sunday.
Nagal, ranked 94th in the world, earned direct entry into the Grand Slam's main draw due to his consistent performances on the tour. This makes him the first Indian male player to qualify for the French Open main draw since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019.
Despite this milestone, Nagal has struggled with form leading up to the clay-court Grand Slam. After a third-round loss to Holger Rune at the Monte Carlo Masters, Nagal missed the Madrid and Rome Masters. His recent outings have also been disappointing, with first-round exits at both the Bordeaux Challenger and the Geneva Open earlier this month.
In contrast, Khachanov, the 18th seed, comes into the tournament with a strong record. He reached the quarterfinals of the French Open last year and won the Qatar Open 250 in February. Khachanov boasts an impressive 21-7 record this season, highlighting the formidable challenge Nagal will face in the opening round.
Nagal's match against Khachanov is set to be a significant test of his resilience and form as he aims to make a mark at the French Open.
(With inputs from PTI)

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TOI Sports Desk

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