Sumit Nagal receives Rs 10 lakhs from former Andhra cricketer V. Chamundeswaranath

Star Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal received ₹10 lakhs from former Andhra cricketer V. Chamundeswaranath on Friday (April 12). The 64-year-old cricketer presented India's No. 1 singles player with the amount as the Indian player was struggling with funds.

Recently, Nagal mentioned that he doesn't have enough money to play tournaments and needs funding to up his game.

“If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the beginning of the year. It is 900 euros (approx Rs 80,000). I am currently getting help from Mr Prashant Sutar through MAHA Tennis Foundation and I also get monthly (salary) from IOCL but the funding needed to break into top-100 is around one crore,” Nagal told PTI in an interview.

“I am investing whatever I am making. The yearly cost when I travel with one coach is costing me around 80 lakh to 1 crore and that is just with one travelling coach (no physio). Whatever I have made I have already invested."

The announcement of V. Chamundeswaranath giving Sumit Nagal Rs. 10 lakhs was made during the prize distribution ceremony at the FNCC AITA men’s tennis tournament in Hyderabad. Sania Mirza graced the event with her presence.

Former cricketer Vankenna Chamundeswaranath played 48 matches (44 First-Class matches and 4 List A games) for Andhra between 1978 and 1992. The right-handed batter has scored 1818 First-Class runs from 76 innings and 39 runs from a couple of innings in List A.

Sumit Nagal's achievements in 2024

Beat WR 27 Alexander Bublik
Beat WR 38 Matteo Arnaldi
Beat WR 55 Acosta Diaz
Took a set away from WR 7 Holger Rune
1st male Indian to win an ATP 1000 Masters match on Clay
1st Indian in 42 Years to qualify for main draw at ATP Monte Carlo
1st Indian in 5 years to qualify for Roland Garros Main Draw