[Watch] Sumit Nagal performs an epic celebration after becoming first Indian player to win Masters 1000 match on clay
India’s tennis sensation, Sumit Nagal, achieved a historic landmark on Monday as he became the first-ever Indian singles player to win a Masters 1000 match on a clay court.
After a stellar show in the qualifiers, Nagal continued his winning run at the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday. Nagal caused another upset as he beat world number 38 Matteo Arnaldi with a scoreline of 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
Nagal didn’t make an ominous start as he lost the first set 5-7. However, the Indian tennis player didn’t lose heart and fought his way back into the contest. Nagal stunned the crowd with a historic win and performed an epic celebration to silence his critics.
Here’s a look at the video clip of that celebration:
Notably, this is the second occasion when the Indian player has beaten a top-40 player in the year 2024. Earlier, he outclassed world number 27 Alexander Bublik in straight sets at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Up next, Sumit Nagal will face Demark’s Hoger Rune in the second round on Tuesday.
Earlier, he had also qualified for the Indian Wells Masters in March but couldn’t win the first-round clash.
Sumit Nagal stormed his way into main draw after winning the first two rounds of qualifiers
Nagal had earlier qualified for the main draw after beating Facundo Acosta in the second-round clash. He won the match with a scoreline of 7-5, 2-6, and 6-2.
He kicked off his campaign with a comfortable 6-2, 6-3 win in a first-round clash with Flavio Cobolli on Saturday. His first big achievement this year came at the Australian Open when became the first-ever Indian player to beat a seeded player at a Grand Slam event in 35 years.
Following his stellar outing at the Chennai Open and leading into the Marrakech Open 2024, he rose to a career-high ranking of 95 in the ATP rankings. He left everyone in awe with his class as he progressed to the round of 16 in the tournament.