CHENNAI/STARNBERG, February 12, 2024
India’s best-ranked player Sumit Nagal claimed victory on home soil, securing the Chennai Open title. The No. 2 seed of the $133,250 ATP Challenger Tour hard-court tournament defeated top seed Luca Nardi of Italy 6-1, 6-4 in Sunday’s singles final at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Chennai.
Chennai, often referred to as the “Gateway to the South,” is a vibrant city located on the southeastern coast of India. As the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu, it is a bustling metropolis known for its rich cultural heritage, thriving economy, and stunning coastal landscapes.
Nagal, 26, capitalized on five of his seven break-point chances and won 59 per cent of the total points played to succeed in one hour and 40 minutes.
DREAM WEEK COMPLETE 🤩
The moment @nagalsumit secured his fifth Challenger title to break into the Top 100, soaring past Nardi 6-1, 6-4 in Chennai#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/Le9XQYfEHQ
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) February 11, 2024
The World No. 121 booked his spot in the championship match with wins in the bottom half of the draw over his compatriot SD Prajwal Dev, Italian Giovanni Fonio, Dominik Palan from the Czech Republic and third-seeded Czech Dalibor Svrcina.
By lifting his fifth ATP Challenger Tour career trophy, his first of the season, Nagal pocketed $18,230 in prize money as well as 100 valuable ATP Ranking points, which helped him to crack the Top 100 for the first time.
“I’m very emotional (today). You know, every tennis player’s dream is to be top 100 at least. And like I said earlier, to win this match in front of the home crowd in your own country, I don’t think I could have asked for a better place,” Nagal said after his triumph.
Further read: Interview with Sumit Nagal at Maspalomas Challenger 2023
