File photo of Sumit Nagal.© AFP
India’s rising tennis star Sumit Nagal joked about how he wished he had put more effort into tennis in his childhood rather than spending time playing cricket on the streets. Nagal who has been in love with cricket since his childhood, visited one of the most iconic cricket stadiums in the world – Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The moment he held the bat, Nagal took a trip down memory lane remembering the days he used to play cricket but now wishing that he should have invested those hours in tennis.
“I love this sport too much, I played way too many hours. I wish I had put in those hours in tennis at an early age but I can’t complain about it I am doing my best, I am working hard towards my goals,” Nagal joked in a video posted by Australian Open on X (formerly Twitter).
NagalMCG pic.twitter.com/ss1TQdkDAN
” #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 18, 2024
As Nagal walked around the iconic stadium and showcased some cricketing shots in the nets that carried hints of his Tennis strokes, he couldn’t feel anything less than being privileged.
“I think it is a privilege for every Indian to come here (MCG) and go through this feeling. For every Indian it is something you look for, you go out on the street you call your friends and play. I have invested a lot of hours playing on the street and to see one of the biggest stadiums in the world its is a nice feeling. It never came through cricket but I am happy to go through with this moment right now,” Nagal said.
Nagal made it to Round 2 of the Australian Open following his straight-set victory over Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik. But his dream run came to an end on Thursday after Losing to China’s Shang Juncheng 6-2, 3-6, 5-7, 4-6 in the second round.
After his first round win, Nagal became the first Indian player to defeat a seeded opponent at a Grand Slam in 35 years since 1989.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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