Bengaluru Open: Sumit Nagal ousts top seed, sets up all-India semi-final with Yuki Bhambri

Bengaluru, November 23: Sumit Nagal upset a fatigued Blaz Kavcic, the top seed, 6-3, 6-4 in their quarterfinal at the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger at the KSLTA Courts on Thursday (November 23). He set up a semi-final with Yuki Bhambri, who prevailed 7-5, 6-2 earlier against fellow Indian Prajnesh Gunneswaran.

With Nagal's win, there will at least be one Indian finalist at the Challenger event, which will garner the winner 100 ATP points. Coming through the main draw, it was Nagal's first quarter-final appearance in a Challenger. He started strong against Kavcic, who suffered a knee injury against Mario Vilella Martínez on Wednesday. Nagal's back-hand slices were top quality, just grazing above the net, while he did not commit many unforced errors too.

In the first set, Nagal broke Kavcic in the fourth game to go 3-1. He then had two double faults while serving for the match, but he recovered well to seize the set in 37 minutes.

The second set was a closer one. The 20-year-old Nagal broke Kavcic in the first game itself but Kavcic also retaliated. The Slovenian had two break points in the second game and he managed to break Nagal back after a long rally.

It was in the third game that things turned worse for Kavcic. Nagal's returns were testing the boundaries of the court and at 30-40, Kavcic made a double fault to lose his serve. Nagal patiently played through the set to win the match in one hour and 17 minutes.

"Yesterday I had a tough match (against Brydan Klein)," Nagal said. "I made it tough for myself. I was not thinking on winning or losing. It was about going there and doing my best. (It was about) playing my best and try to achieve the goals I had set before every match. I enjoyed it. There were ups and downs in the game. I am still learning. I hope I try to do things better and better. That was all that was in my mind."

Nagal admitted to being nervous at start since it was his first quarterfinal at an ATP Challenger. "It was because of that I got nervous," he said. "It was going through my head. But I believed I could win this. I didn't want to think on the result. It was about the process and the outcome."

The young Indian added that return from injury helped him play some of his best tennis. "I had big shoulder problems earlier. My serve has improved and I can serve pain-free now. My backhand returns have gotten better and now I am focussing more on the net," he said.

"Since I was injured for four-five months, fitness is all I could think about. I did some shoulder rehab exercises and I am still doing them," added. "Results are because of the time I put into it."

Earlier, Bhambri had it easy against Prajnesh, who lost focus midway through the match to surrender the semi-final berth.

RESULTS (All quarter-finals)

Sumit Nagal (IND) bt Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-3, 6-4; Yuki Bhambri (IND) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) 7-5, 6-2; Jay Clarke (GBR) bt Ante Pavic (CRO) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7/1); Tsung-Hua Yang (TPE) bt Antoine Escoffier (FRA) 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles: Ivan Sabanov/Matej Sabanov (CRO) bt Timur Khabibulin/Aleksandr Nedovyesov (KAZ) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Mikhail Elgin/Divij Sharan bt Vishnu Vardhan/N Sriram Balaji 6-4, 4-6, 10-8