CHENNAI: AS soon as Joao Menezes shanked his return, Sumit Nagal’s racquet landed on Court 4’s DecoTurf at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York on Friday. As far as emotions go, it was pretty straightforward. Most tennis players drop their racquet after completing a major milestone. What happened next, though, revealed the full extent of what the Indian, who had qualified for his first-ever main draw was going through. After turning around to face the crowd, he began punching the air in celebration for a good few seconds.
Almost two years after his biggest tennis win to date — the $100000 Bengaluru Challenger in November 2017 — Nagal had a new moment to top that feeling. “I had to let the energy out,” he says to this newspaper, explaining why he celebrated the way he did. Down a set and trailing in the second, the 22-year-old may have been forgiven for having a feeling of deja vu. Coming into the third and final round of qualifying, Menezes had enjoyed a 2-0 head-to-head record. He had opportunities in both those matches but let it go. The Jhajjar lad did not want to experience it for a third consecutive time.
“I had lost to him two times earlier but always had chances to win in both those matches. This was one time I took control and did well.” That’s been a broad theme of Nagal’s year after a horrific 2018 that included a combination of injuries and a fall out with his then coach Javier Ferrer. After a painful separation, he joined hands with coach Sascha Nencel and his team in Peine, Germany. That’s worked out to a T with Nagal notching significant career firsts in his last 2-3 months: win over a top 60 player, a maiden appearance in the main draw of a World Tour 500 and achieving a career-high ranking (World No 190).
So, it’s only natural that he name-checks Nencel. “I have been working with Nencel and fitness coach (Milos Galecic) for the better part of this year.” Galecic, especially, has played a key role in this run because of his recurring shoulder tear. For the moment, at least, that seems to have eased a bit. “I work with Galecic every week with my fitness and also my shoulder. It’s been good so far.”
Under lights at Flushing Meadows, does he believe he has it in him to engineer perhaps one of the greatest upsets in Slam history when he faces Roger Federer on Monday night? He doesn’t want to look that far ahead. “I am really excited and looking forward to it,” he said. “I am just going to go out and enjoy every second of it because these are chances that you don’t get in every Slam. “I don’t care what the commentators will be saying about me on TV. I am going to be enjoying the crowd, playing the best tennis player ever. I am just some dude from India. I am fine with that until I make my name. That’s it.”
He has one hell of an opportunity to make a name for himself in less than 24 hours.
Big guns
The Big 3 and in-form Russian enter as hot prospects
Novak Djokovic | SRB x1
Djokovic will try to become the first back-to-back US Open men’s singles champion since Roger Federer won five in a row from 2004-2008. The 32-year-old Serbian has won four of the past five Grand Slam singles crowns.
Rafael Nadal | ESP x2
The 33-year-old Spanish left-hander seized his 12th French Open title in June and comes to New York ranked second in the world and seeking his fourth title in 10 years on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts after 2010, 2013 and 2017.
Roger Federer | SUI x3
The 38-year-old lost to Djokovic in an epic five-set Wimbledon final last month. Federer owns a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles but he hasn’t won a major trophy since lifting the 2018 Australian Open hardware.
Daniil Medvedev | RUSx5
The 23-year-old had the finest hardcourt run of any ATP player ahead of the US Open. He lost to Australian Nick Kyrgios in the Washington final and Nadal in the Montreal final then defeated David Goffin in the Cincinnati final.
Open test
Here’s a look at some women contenders ahead of US Open
Naomi Osaka | JPN x1
Defending champ Osaka, a 21-year-old from Japan, beat Serena Williams in last year’s US Open final. Osaka went on to win this year’s Australian Open title, becoming the first player since Williams in 2015 to win back-to-back Slam singles crowns.
Ashleigh Barty | AUS x2
Second-ranked Barty, a 23-year-old Australian, won her first Grand Slam title at this year’s French Open. She became the first Australian to lift the trophy at Roland Garros since Margaret Court in 1973.
Simona Halep | ROM x4
The 27-year-old defeated Serena Williams in last month’s Wimbledon final, dominating the 23-time Grand Slam singles champ. It was the second Grand Slam title for Halep, who won the 2018 French Open.
Serena Williams | USA x8
The 23-time Grand Slam champ makes another bid to match Australian Margaret Court’s all-time record. Williams shares the Open Era-record of six US Open titles with Chris Evert. She has not won any Grand Slam crown since the 2017 Australian Open.