Sumit Nagal pushes Holger Rune to brink, bows out of Monte Carlo Masters 2024 in three sets

Earlier, Nagal became first Indian to win a main draw match at Monte Carlo Masters.

Sumit Nagal’s fairy-tale journey at the Monte Carlo Masters 2024 came to a valiant close, as the Indian pushed last year’s runner-up Holger Rune to the brink before ultimately bowing out after a three-set tussle in a game that spanned across two days due to bad weather conditions.

Just days after becoming the first-ever Indian to win an ATP Masters 1000 match on clay, the 25-year-old gave a scare to World no 7 before going out 3-6, 6-3, 2-6.

The encounter, which spanned two days due to inclement conditions, saw the Danish star stamp his authority from the outset. Rune’s booming serve and authoritative forehand kept Nagal pinned back as he grabbed the opening set 6-3.

However, the 25-year-old Indian displayed his trademark tenacity in the second set. After falling behind 0-2, Nagal dug deep and outmaneuvered Rune from the baseline, leveling the match with a 6-3 set of his own.

However, any hopes of an upset seemed fleeting once the third set commenced, as Rune reasserted his dominance by breaking immediately for a 2-0 lead. Though Nagal continued to fight valiantly, the Dane’s sheer weight of shot ultimately proved too much as he closed out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.

For Nagal 2024 so far has been a dream run. Recently, he secured a spot in the men’s singles main draw at Roland Garros, becoming the first Indian male player since Prajnesh Gunneswaran in 2019 to qualify for the French Open main draw.

Earlier this year, 25-year-old became the first Indian to defeat a seeded player at the Australian Open since 1989 when he defeated Alexander Bublik in straight sets.

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