Sumit Nagal impresses on Slam debut against Federer
India's men's singles tennis player Sumit Nagal showed he isn't afraid of the big stage after impressing on his Grand Slam debut. Nagal was up against 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in the opening round of the US Open and he impressed one and all with a spirited display. Federer won the match 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Here are the details.
Federer lost the first set against Nagal and then battled to a convincing victory. Federer won the clash against the 190-ranked Indian qualifier in two and a half hours. The five-time US champion had 19 unforced errors to drop the first set against Nagal. That saw Nagal become the first Indian to win a set against Federer.
Sumit Nagal first Indian to take a set off Roger Federer
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) August 27, 2019
Federer vs Indians
bt Rohan Bopanna 7-6 6-2 - @Halle 2006
bt Somdev Devvarman 6-3 6-3 - @Dubai 2011
bt Somdev Devvarman 6-2 6-1 6-1 #FrenchOpen 2013 (R2)
bt Sumit Nagal 4-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 #USOpen 2019#USOpen2019
Nagal has never won a tour-level match and was playing in the main draw of a Grand Slam for the first time. He tested his illustrious opponent and that was a strong approach from the 22-year-old. It was crucial for Federer to get hold of the second set and he made a strong comeback with double break points. From there on, Federer marched on.
"I just tried to forget the first set, play tough and stay with him. I wasn't serving consistently enough. I was hitting double faults that usually I don't do. Also I was just hitting too many unforced errors. I was in two minds," said Federer.
The Swiss ace won his 1,224th career match to book a meeting with Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur in the next round. He joined Novak Djokovic, who earlier overcame Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. Djokovic, who is chasing a 17th career Grand Slam honor, will next face Argentine Juan Ignacio Londero in the second round.
Russian fifth seed Daniil Medvedev tamed India's Prajnesh Gunneswaran 6-4, 6-1. 6-2. He will face Bolivia's world number 88 Hugo Delien next. "I can't say I'm feeling amazing about my game but to win by that score in the first round is great," he said.
In the men's singles matches, David Goffin overcame Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-0. Swiss ace Stan Wawrinka reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-6, (7-4), 4-6, 6-3 win over Italian Jannik Sinner. 11th seed Fabio Fognini lost 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 to American 21-year-old Reilly Opelka. The latter will meet German qualifier Dominik Koepfer in the next round.
