Sumit Nagal forced to withdraw in opening round of Moselle Open 2024; Sriram Balaji makes early exit
Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal faced an early exit at the Moselle Open, succumbing to France’s Corentin Moutet in the opening round. After an encouraging start, Nagal's campaign was derailed by injury, leading him to withdraw from the match while trailing in the second set.
The 27-year-old, who had previously reached the second round of the Australian Open earlier this year, displayed glimpses of promise but ultimately fell short.
In the first set, Nagal initially took control, breaking Moutet’s serve and establishing a solid 5-2 lead. However, the momentum shifted dramatically as he lost nine consecutive games, resulting in a first-set defeat of 5-7. Moutet, known for his tenacity on the court, capitalized on Nagal's dip in form, turning the tables and showcasing his own skills.
As the match progressed into the second set, the situation became increasingly dire for Nagal. After falling behind 0-4, he was forced to withdraw from the contest due to injury, resulting in a disappointing end to his run at the Moselle Open.
This defeat marks Moutet's fourth victory over Nagal in their six encounters, with their most recent meeting occurring earlier this year at the Paris Olympics, where Moutet also triumphed. The loss at the Moselle Open serves as a setback for Nagal as he seeks to regain his form and fitness ahead of future tournaments.
Sriram Balaji suffers Round-of-16 exit at Moselle Open 2024
India's second participant at the Moselle Open, N. Sriram Balaji, alongside his partner Guido Andreozzi, faced a disappointing exit in the Round of 16 after falling to the Dutch duo of Matwe Middlekoop and Jean-Julien Rojer.
The Indo-Argentine pair was eliminated from the men’s doubles competition following their first-round match on Sunday. Balaji and Andreozzi initially took control by winning the first set but ultimately lost their momentum, finishing the match 7-6, 2-6, 7-10.
They utilized their strong serve effectively to secure the opening set in a tightly contested tie-break. However, Middlekoop and Rojer rallied in the second set, dominating play to win 6-2. In the final set, the Dutch team managed to come back, clinching the tie-break 10-7 with a remarkable performance in their return game, sealing Balaji and Andreozzi's fate in the tournament.