India’s Sumit Nagal has secured a direct entry into the main draw of the Australian Open 2025 men’s singles. Last time around, after the All India Tennis Association (AITA) denied Nagal a wildcard entry, he won all three matches in the Qualifiers, after which he defeated 31st seed Alexander Bublik in the first round. The youngster had become the first Indian in 35 years to beat a seeded player in majors after Ramesh Krishnan beat Mats Wilander at the 1989 Australian Open.
Nagal, however, could not advance to the third round after losing to Shang Juncheng of China. But he carried on his decent form and became the 10th player from India to break into the top 100 of the ATP rankings. Currently, ranked No.98 in the world, Nagal will be looking to go beyond the opening round in the upcoming edition of the hard-court tournament.
It’s official: #AO2025 entry lists have just dropped 🤩https://t.co/2YIf4ucd8t
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) December 6, 2024
Nick Kyrgios make a comeback after two years
Meanwhile, Nick Kyrgios is making a return to Grand Slams after last playing in the US Open 2022 where he advanced to the quarters. He also finished as the runner-up in Wimbledon 2022 after losing to Novak Djokovic in the grand finale. In the last 24 months, Kyrgios has faced knee, wrist and foot injuries, preventing him from playing much tennis.
He is there in the main draw with a protected ranking of No.21. The 29-year-old is also set to play in the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi and the Brisbane International before taking part in the Australian Open. Belinda Bencic, who won the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics 2020, also entered through protected ranking in the women’s singles. Read More
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https://www.indiatoday.in/
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