It was a dream come true for the 22-year-old Indian player Sumit Nagal as he won the first set against tennis maestro Roger Federer in the US Open. Just last week, the 190th ranked Indian had pulled off a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over Brazil’s Joao Menezes in the final qualifying round to set up a first round bout against the 20 time Grand Slam winner. Sumit became only the fifth Indian player to feature in a Grand Slam singles main draw in this decade.
Sumit stunned the Arthur Ashe Stadium by picking up a 6-4 win in the first set against the Swede. The five-time champion, though, pulled things back and went on to win the next two sets. Sumit gave a tough fight in the fourth set, as he managed to take the score to 40-0 when Federer was serving for the match. But eventually, the Indian had to bow out to the great, and mark an exit from the tournament.
Despite the defeat, Sumit’s family members are happy with their son’s performance. Sumit’s father, Suresh, expressed delight over his son’s fighting spirit in the showdown. “Winning the first set against such a great player, Federer, the God of tennis... it was completely unexpected,” he said.
“We will welcome Sumit back like a winner. He played so well at a Grand Slam event. The entire nation was watching him. Everyone came up to me to congratulate me on his performance,” Suresh said. Suresh added that the spirited show from Sumit will inspire youngsters to pursue the sport. “There is a desire to win, and that is what will inspire everyone,” he said.
