US Open 2024: India's Singles Challenge Ends After Sumit Nagal Crashes Out in First Round

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India's singles challenge at the US Open 2024 ended as early as the first day of the main draw after Sumit Nagal crashed out of the men's singles competition on Monday (August 26) night in New York, USA.

Nagal, the lone Indian singles tennis player in the year's final Grand Slam tournament, suffered a straight sets defeat to Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor. Nagal lost his opening round match 1-6, 3-6, 6-7 (6) against the Dutch opponent.

After dropping the first two sets, the 27-year-old Indian showed some fight, pushing the third set into a tie-break, but squandered three set points to lose the game and eventually the match in 2 hours and 20 minutes on Court 15 at the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, New York.

However, it's not the end of road for the Indian in New York. Nagal, the first Indian to play the main draw of the singles competition in all four Grand Slams, will now focus on doubles competition when he partners Japan's Yoshihito Nishioka.

The Indo-Japanese pair will face American duo of Robert Cash and James JJ Tracy on Tuesday (August 27) night. Nagal will not be the lone Indian in doubles action as three more tennis players from the country will also take to court with their respective partners.

Australian Open 2024 champion, Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden enter their fourth Grand Slam tournament of the year as the second seeds. The Indo-Australian pair will open their campaign against Sander Arends and Robin Haase of Netherlands.

Yuki Bhambri and N Sriram Balaji also will be playing alongside their respective partners France's Albano Olivetti and Argentina's Guido Andreozzi. Bhambri-Olivetti pairing will face Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac of USA in their opener.

Balaji and Andreozzi will take on New Zealander Marcus Daniell and Mexico's Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela Martínez in their men's singles campaign opener in New York. All the four doubles matches will be held in the next two days.