India's tennis star Sumit Nagal secured his spot in the men's singles competition at the Paris Olympics 2024. This will be his second Olympic appearance after competing in the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he impressively advanced to the second round. Nagal took to social media to share his enthusiasm.
"Extremely glad to share that I have officially qualified for the 2024 Paris Olympics. This is a monumental moment for me as the Olympics holds a special place in my heart! One of my career highlights so far was participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ever since then, Paris has been a big goal for me. Can’t wait to put my best foot forward," Nagal's Instagram post read.
India will also be sending a team for the men's doubles competition. Rohan Bopanna, a highly ranked player, chose N Sriram Balaji as his partner, with approval from the AITA (All India Tennis Association). Sumit Nagal's qualification received a boost thanks to his recent win at the Heilbronn Challenger. This victory propelled him into the top 80 of the ATP rankings and secured his second Challenger title this season, adding to his earlier win at the Chennai Challenger. While initial qualification was uncertain due to higher-ranked players, withdrawals ultimately paved the way for Nagal's inclusion. The official list of participants will be released by the International Tennis Federation on July 4. Get ready for some Olympic action, as the tennis events will be held at the legendary Roland Garros, home of the French Open, from July 27 to August 4.
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At 26, Sumit Nagal joins Leander Paes (1992-2000) as the only Indian players to qualify for the Olympic singles in consecutive Games. Paes' 1996 Atlanta bronze remains India's second individual Olympic medal. Nagal has been impressive in 2024, reaching the Australian Open second round after defeating then-world No. 37 Alexander Bublik. He also qualified for the main draws of the prestigious Indian Wells and Monte-Carlo Masters (ATP 1000 events).
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