File picture of Sumit Nagal© AFP
India's Sumit Nagal has climbed 18 locations to a career-best 77th within the newest ATP rankings launched on Monday, virtually guaranteeing his place within the males's singles draw of the Paris Olympics. Nagal has 713 ATP factors. His rating enchancment got here on the again of him successful the lads's singles crown on the Heilbronn Neckarcup 2024 Challenger occasion in Germany on Sunday, defeating Switzerland's Alexander Ritschard in an exhilarating three-set match. The Indian received 6-1 6(5)-7 6-3 within the closing that lasted two hours and 22 minutes. The entries for the Video games can be selected the premise of the rankings on Monday.
As per the established standards, the highest 56 gamers in each males's and ladies's classes will mechanically qualify for the Olympics, however solely a most of 4 gamers from every nation will have the ability to qualify for the Video games, a rule that enables lower-ranked gamers to enter the draw.
Nagal appears good to safe the final out there ranking-enabled spot within the draw. The final time a participant from India was within the Olympic foremost draw was on the 2012 Video games, when Somdev Devvarman made it because of a wildcard.
“Very blissful to have received the title in Heilbronn this week. It was an vital week for me and I’m proud to have performed my greatest tennis when it mattered most,” Nagal wrote on X after his closing win.
On the finish of the match he stated, “If I win a match like this, I can be proud, as a result of the match was very thrilling. Rating is secondary, the primary purpose is to play good tennis.”
The 26-year-old Nagal would be the solely Indian within the males's singles occasion in Paris. The Worldwide Tennis Federation will inform the nationwide federations concerning the certified athletes by June 12, following which the Nationwide Olympic Committees will verify their entries by June 19.
This was Nagal's sixth ATP Challenger title and second of the yr after the Chennai Open on dwelling soil earlier this yr.
Nagal, who’s presently the best-ranked Indian singles participant, has received 4 ATP Challenger titles since 2023 and the win in Heilbronn was his fourth on clay tennis courts.
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