Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal withdraws from Davis Cup tie against Sweden due to Injury

Nagal has suffered from back issues recently.

India’s top-ranked men’s tennis player Sumit Nagal has announced his withdrawal from the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden, citing a persistent back issue.

In a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, the 27-year-old Nagal expressed his disappointment at having to miss the competition. “I was really looking forward to representing India in the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden. However, due to a back issue that’s been bothering me for the past few weeks, doctors have advised me to rest for the next two weeks, leaving me without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden,” he wrote.

pic.twitter.com/F9OKKNdw14

— Sumit Nagal (@nagalsumit) September 2, 2024

Nagal’s withdrawal is a significant blow to India’s chances in the World Group 1 tie, which is scheduled for September 14-15 in Stockholm. The Indian team was counting on Nagal, currently ranked 73rd in the world, to lead the charge against Sweden.

The back injury that sidelined Nagal also led to his withdrawal from the recent US Open doubles event. “This same issue also led to my withdrawal from the US Open doubles,” he noted in his social media post.

Earlier this year, Nagal achieved a career-high ranking of 68, making him the fourth highest-ranked Indian man in the history of the ATP rankings system. His consistent performances on the tour have made him an integral part of the Indian Davis Cup team.

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In Nagal’s absence, the Indian team will be headlined by Ramkumar Ramanathan, the country’s second-highest ranked player. The squad also includes doubles specialist N. Sriram Balaji and debutants Siddharth Vishwakarma and Nikki K Poonacha.

India’s hopes of reaching the Davis Cup Qualifiers have taken a hit with Nagal’s withdrawal. The team will be counting on the rest of the players to step up and deliver a strong performance against a formidable Swedish side.

Nagal expressed his regret at missing the tie, saying, “I’m deeply disappointed to be missing this tie, but I have to listen to my body to prevent the back from worsening, so that I can finish the season strong and healthy.” He added, “Good luck to the Indian team – I’ll be cheering for you all from home.”

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