Ranked outside 500 in the world, Sumit Nagal began the year needing the generosity of a wildcard to enter even the qualifying rounds of a low-key Challenger event Nonthaburi, Thailand. Currently at 138 in the ATP charts, Nagal signed off 2023 rubbing shoulders with the creme de la creme of professional tennis at the World Tennis League (WTL) in Abu Dhabi.
Drafted as an alternate, the India No. 1 in singles was among the 16 players in the pre-season exhibition team event last week featuring Daniil Medvedev (ATP world No.3), Andrey Rublev (No.5), Stefanos Tsitsipas (No.6), Hubert Hurkacz (No.9), Taylor Fritz (No.10), Iga Swiatek (WTA world No.1), Aryna Sabalenka (No.2), Elena Rybakina (No.4), among others.
Part of the Falcons team with Fritz, Wimbledon champion Rybakina and Sorana Cirstea, Nagal played doubles with Fritz and against the likes of the Russian combo of Medvedev-Rublev and Grigor Dimitrov and Lloyd Harris.
Doubles in tennis is a lot different to singles yet by playing against and with some of the world's top pros, simply watching them go about their training or having a hit with them, Nagal understood facets of his own game that needs stepping up to match them competitively and consistently on court.
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