Sumit Nagal enters SF of ATP Challenger event

Heilbronn (Germany): India’s top ranked singles player Sumit Nagal cruised to the semi-final of the ATP 100 Challenger event, winning his quarter-final match against Russia’s Ivan Gakhov 6-1 7-6 (7-4) in 82 minutes, here on Friday.

Nagal, currently placed 95th in the world, would like to earn as many ranking points possible

to give himself the best chance of qualifying for the singles event at the Paris Olympics, where men’s draw will be of 64.

The Indian ace brushed aside his disappointing first-round straight-set exit from the French Open at the hands of Karen Khachanov and has been in good form through

the week, reaching the last four at the Euro 120,000 tour event.

The match lasted for 1 hour and 22 minutes and Nagal’s first and second serve percentage of 83 and 70 made the difference compared to Gakhov’s 51 and 57, respectively.

Nagal also converted four break points while also managing to

save two out of three when he could have been

down.