Sumit Nagal vs Carlos Alcaraz at Australian Open 2024? How can India's No. 1 compete against the World No. 2 Spaniard?
Both Sumit Nagal and Carlos Alcaraz won their first-round matches at the 2024 Australian Open on Tuesday.
New Delhi: India's Sumit Nagal could face world number 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the ongoing Australian Open 2024 after both won their respective first-round matches on Tuesday. While Nagal scored one of the biggest wins of his career by shocking the world number 1. At 27 Alexander Bublik from Kazakhstan in straight sets, the Spaniard Alcaraz swept aside the 37-year-old veteran Richard Gasquet.
Nagal's victory was the first by an Indian against a seeded player in a Grand Slam main draw in 35 years. The last time this happened was in 1989 when Ramesh Krishnan shocked Swede Mats Wilander, the then defending Australian Open champion.
Nagal, who was denied a wildcard opportunity by the All India Tennis Federation (AITA) for his refusal to play in the Davis Cup, advanced through qualifiers to upset 31st-ranked Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7- 6(5) in a grueling match that lasted two hours and 38 minutes. It was the first time the 137th-ranked Nagal had advanced to the second round at the Australian Open and also his fourth Grand Slam appearance after 2019, 2020 (both US Open) and 2021 (Australian Open).
On the other hand, Alacaraz played his first match at the Australian Open after two years and lasted two hours and 17 minutes against the Frenchman for a 7-6 (5), 6-1, 6-2 victory. Last year, Alcaraz had to withdraw from the Australian Open due to an injured right leg.
How is Sumit Nagal vs. Carlos Alcaraz possible?
Nagal, the best among men in India, will next face Chinese 18-year-old Juncheng Shang, who defeated Mackenzie McDonald in his first round match. Like the match against Bublik, Nagal's encounter will be a tough task for the Indian against Shang. The Chinese prodigy reached the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open where he defeated, among others, Laslo Djere (33rd), Botic van de Zandschulp (50th) and Frances Tiafoe (16th). In the semifinals, Shang lost to fifth-place Andrey Rublev.
On the other hand, Alcaraz will play Lorenzo Sonego, who defeated Dan Evans 4-6, 7-6 (8), 6-2, 7-6 (4). Ranked 42nd, Sonego had the better of Alcaraz in their only meeting earlier at the 2021 Cincinnati Masters. That said, nothing is impossible, and if Nagal manages to set up an appointment with Alcaraz in the third round, it will likely be third biggest match of his career. Nagal faced Roger Federer at the 2020 US Open. Both Alcaraz and Nagal will play their second round matches on January 18.