ATP Challenger: Sumit Nagal stuns Yuki Bhambri; doubles title for Divij Sharan

Sumit Nagal (left) meets Yuki Bhambri at the net after his semi-final win at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger

Bengaluru, November 24: Sumit Nagal showed the door to an off-colour Yuki Bhambri in the semi-finals of the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger, winning 6-4, 6-0 to make the final at the KSLTA Courts on Friday (November 24). Nagal will face Britain's Jay Clarke on Saturday in what will be both players' first ATP final. Clarke defeated Taipei's Yang Tsung-Hua 6-3, 6-4 earlier.

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Nagal's quest to the final was helped by the lower expectations on him. Bhambri, who had claimed the KPTI MSLTA Challenger last week in Pune, started the favourite but he succumbed under pressure. Although Nagal deserves his due for his immaculate backhand slices and edgy crosscourt forehand winners, Bhambri committed a lot of unforced errors throughout the match.

Jay Clarke of Great Britain exults after beating Taipei's Yang Tsung-Hua at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger. He will face Sumit Nagal in the final

The 20-year-old Nagal first broke Bhambri in the fifth game. Bhambri then had two break points in the next game and converted the second of those as Nagal mishit his return out.

In the seventh game, Bhambri gifted Nagal two break points after playing his backhand returns to the net. Nagal seized the opportunity and went up 5-3. Bhambri fought back again as the two lost serves one after the other.

It turned around in Nagal's favour in the ninth game when Bhambri gave too much power to his forehand. Bhambri also lofted one to the air and before you know it, Nagal had two set points. He claimed the first set in style, volleying above Bhambri to the service line.

GAME. SET. MATCH! It's a bagel in the second set as @nagalsumit makes it through to the final of the @ATPChallenger Bangalore Open with a big win over @yukibhambri. #RuknaNahiHai pic.twitter.com/1qaEIV7O8n
— JSW Sports (@jswsports) November 24, 2017

Bhambri completely lost his groove after losing the first set. When Bhambri served a fast one at 176 kph, Nagal simply used its pace to direct it crosscourt. Nagal got lucky when his return kissed the net and bounced on to the other side. But he was clearly playing the more aggressive brand in the second set.

Nagal's backhand slices saved the day as Bhambri tried to regain his confidence by playing long rallies. Bhambri committed a double fault in the sixth game and Nagal went 0-30 up.Bhambri momentarily played his strengths - crosscourt returns - but he then hit one out. To make it worse, at deuce, he played a simple volley out. Next point, the match point for Nagal, he caressed it to the left of Bhambri, whose shot lost its power after taking a touch off the net.

"Today I was solid plus I was playing aggressive," Nagal said after the match. "I was making lesser number of errors. What it came down is that he started trying too much. That's why he had many unforced errors. But I made him do that. I was hitting the cross-court, trying the spin and slices."

Nagal conceded that he played aggressively after shaking Bhambri's confidence in the first set. "Giving him more chances will be a risky move for me," Nagal added. "If he gets the points in the long rally, he will get his confidence back and the pressure will build up on me again. If it's clear up front and I am not moving when the ball is coming back, then I will have the pressure."

Nagal said he will play the final as someone who has got nothing to lose. After all, it will be his first ATP Challenger final and the same goes for Clarke. "We both have the same amount of pressure going into the final," Nagal added. "It's his first ATP final and also mine. Yeah, I am going to go with the attitude that I have nothing to lose. I am going to go at it. It's worked in the last two matches so why will I change it now."

Doubles title for Divij Sharan

Divij Sharan of India partnered with Mikhail Elgin to defeat Matej Sabanov and Ivan Sabanov 6-3, 6-0 in the doubles final on Friday (November 24). It was Sharan's fourth ATP Challenger title, and third title of the year.

Mikhail Elgin & Divij Sharan clinch the #ATPChallenger #BengaluruOpen 2017 title at #kslta with a resounding 6-3, 6-0 victory over Ivan & Matej Sabanov. #nammabengaluru #karnatakatourism #loveforsports #tennis @Yajaman_Sunil @paarthsingh72 @IndiantennisFan pic.twitter.com/kla8hbbfFy
— Bengaluru Open 2017 (@bengaluruopen) November 24, 2017

"I did break into the top-50 but dropped one number to become No 51. Now I will make the top-50 again after this win," Sharan said. "These are just numbers. It's important to finish a year with a title like this. It's not like I am winning titles every week. So it's a great way to finish the year. I am going to take a break for three weeks and then I will start the tour events in the Australian Open."

Elgin said: "When you win a tournament, it's obviously great. I started to play with him two weeks ago in Bratislava, Slovakia. I improved my volleys playing with him. I hope he also improved something in his game and not just his ranking!"

This year, Sharan won the European Open in Antwerp, Belgium, with Scott Lipsky this October. He reached the final in the Tashkent Challenger with Yuki Bhambri. Earlier, he won the Primrose Challenger with Purav Raja.

His earlier ATP titles came in 2016 and 2013. Partnering Purav Raja, he won the Los Cabos Open in Mexico and Colombia Open respectively.

Match stats

Sumit Nagal Yuki Bhambri

Aces 1 0

Double Faults 1 2

Break points saved 2/4 1/7

Total points 60/100 40/100

RESULTS

Singles (All semifinals)

Jay Clarke (GBR) bt Yang Tsung-Hua (TPE) 6-3, 6-4

Sumit Nagal (IND) bt Yuki Bhambri (IND) 6-4, 6-0

Doubles (Final)