Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal bowed out of the ongoing Australian Open on Tuesday as he suffered a first-round loss. Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis defeated Nagal 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 in the first round, ending Nagal’s hopes of advancing in the first Grand Slam of the year. Nagal was put under a lot of pressure in the first set and Berankis gave him no chance of settling in, with the Lithuania player wrapping up the set in no time.

The world-number 73 Berankis created further pressure in the second set and Nagal was not given a chance of making any sort of comeback.

Berankis went on to take a 4-0 lead in the second set, but Nagal made an amazing comeback and was level the scores to 4-4. Berankis, however, managed to maintain his composure and eventually took the second set 7-5.

Berankis carried on this momentum and clinched the third set, winning the match in straight sets.

Promoted

Earlier, Nagal had admitted that his preparation for the Australian Open was not ideal but he was prepared to give it his all in the tournament.

“It is the same situation for everyone, for me, I would have liked to play some more tournaments, but unfortunately I had to end my last season a month earlier. There is nothing I can change, I am trying to practice as much as possible,” Nagal had said during a virtual press conference before the game.