India’s Sumit Nagal pulled off a stunning upset at the Australian Open, dominating World No. 31 Alexander Bublik 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(5) in the first round. This historic win marks the first Grand Slam victory for an Indian male player over a seeded opponent since 1989, rewriting tennis history in the nation. Nagal’s aggressive baseline play and unwavering focus disarmed the unpredictable Bublik, sending shockwaves through the tournament and igniting Indian tennis fans with pride. This monumental victory cements Nagal’s place as a rising star and opens doors for a brighter future for Indian tennis on the global stage.
Nagal shared the following after the match:
On becoming the first Indian in 35 years to beat a seeded player at a Grand Slam
I didn’t know this until 10 minutes ago. It hasn’t sunk in yet.
On having the crowd support
It’s been nice. Nobody is going to complain about having crowd behind you. And I’m very thankful to the people who are coming and watching me and supporting me. It’s been a pleasure.
You don’t get to do this on a very regular basis unless you are playing the bigger tournaments. And as of now, I’ve never played a whole year on the ATP Tour yet. I’m looking forward to. And I think it’s a good feeling. Having people behind you, it’s nice. It pumps you up, and I feel like it also can bring out your best tennis.
On Mahesh Bhupathi’s support during a critical time
I always give credit to him. I had quit tennis in 2010 actually. So there was a program in 2008 in Bangalore, which was run by Mahesh. I went there for two years. I was picked in that program, or selected, whatever.
In 2010 the program got shut. I went back to Delhi in Jan. Feb to April I quit. I said it’s impossible. I cannot afford. My dad is a teacher, so I said it’s impossible to afford this. End of March and April I get a call from Mahesh saying, listen, I’ll take care of you. Do you still want to play tennis? I said, Sure, I would love to play. That’s how the journey started again.
On the next match
I don’t know who I am playing next. For now, I am going to sit with my coach, have some dinner and relax. Tomorrow’s an off today – so I will do icebaths, get a massage, and just chill.