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Mumbai: Sumit Nagal has had some elite company in his recent training sessions. On the blue courts in Abu Dhabi, Nagal had a hitting partner in world No.6 Casper Ruud. This all comes as a part of Nagal being invited to compete at the World Tennis League pre-season exhibition event.
But the 27-year-old has earned the right to that invitation. For the first time in his career, he has finished a season inside the top 100.
“This is my best season so far,” Nagal, ranked 98 in the world, told HT.
“To finish the year (inside the top 100) gives me a lot of motivation and confidence. I know how important it is to have that good confidence throughout the year.”
Nagal started the year ranked 138 in the world but collected 80 crucial ranking points after reaching the second round of the Australian Open in January – that too after starting in the qualifiers. But it was in the tournament following that, when he won the ATP Challenger event in Chennai in February, in which he managed to break into the top 100 for the first time in his career.
“That week was very special for me, and I don’t think I could have asked for a better place for that experience,” he said. “It was very emotional. I was crying on the court after the final.”
Breaking the barrier meant that a new world opened up for him. He was granted entry into tournaments he had never managed to play in before: “Stockholm, Paris, Monte Carlo, Shanghai, Indian Wells, Miami, Dubai, Geneva…” he listed.
Importantly though, he managed to play in the main draw of all the four Grand Slams this year, reaching the second round in Melbourne.
“This was a great experience and it helped me for the year,” he said. “It made me understand better what works and what does not. I understood things like how to deal with different conditions and even about the racquet stringing.”
Along the way he also managed to win another Challenger, in Heilbronn, Germany, before ending as finalist at the Perugia Challenger a week later. The steady climb up the ranking ladder – he got to as high as 68 in July – saw him qualify for his second Olympic Games.
And this all came just a year after he returned to the tour after a lengthy injury layoff that required surgery. His comeback to the tour in January 2023 saw him ranked 503, but he’s managed to claw his way back to where he once was and go even further.
Unfortunately, he did not remain injury-free as a back issue forced him to skip a few weeks from the tour after the US Open in September. It took him a while to recover, but the niggle affected his form the most – he won only one match in his last 11 tournaments.
“It was stopping me a lot, especially towards the end of the year,” Nagal said. “I didn’t really enjoy that. (Injury is) part of (the game) and it’s not the first time I went through this. I’m kind of used to it and I’ve tried my best to get away from it. But I’m happy that the body is feeling well and we will take it from here next year.”
A part of the preparation is to soak in as much information as he can as he rubs shoulders with some of the best players in the world in Abu Dhabi. The sessions with Ruud, he asserted, were invaluable.
“I’ve hit with Casper a few times, he’s a lovely guy,” Nagal added. “His game style is similar to mine. But he’s very good at what he does and there are a few things he does which are very brave. I’m just trying to learn from him and use it in my game.”
Nagal has spent a few weeks now between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, clocking in a good amount of practice while also trying to get back into the same pre-injury rhythm that saw him hit new strides. It has reached a stage where he feels he’s ready for the new season.
“I’m feeling quite good on the court,” he said. “I’m eager to play again, with a fresh mind and a fresh body.”
