Sumit Nagal’s remarkable 9-match winning streak came to a halt at the hands of Italian Luciano Darderi in Perugia. The Indian had been in blistering form, reaching back-to-back ATP Challenger finals for the first time since 2019. His title win in Heilbronn last week had also virtually sealed his Olympic qualification for Paris 2024.
However, Darderi proved too tough an obstacle on this day. The world #41 was clinical in defeating Nagal 6-1, 6-2 in the finals. Nagal laboured to find a foothold as Darderi’s consistent play and pinpoint stroke-making kept the Indian pinned back.
The first set was a blitz from Darderi as he raced ahead. Nagal regrouped in the second but was still outmaneuvered by his higher-ranked opponent’s quality tennis. Despite the loss, Nagal can take immense pride from his performance over the last couple of weeks.
His 9-match streak comprised tough three-set battles and secured him not only valuable ranking points but also a long-awaited Olympic berth. While the run ended just short of a title in Perugia, Nagal will be waking up to yet another career-high rank at the start of next week, courtesy this deep run.