Bengaluru: Continuing his impressive form, second-seed Sumit Nagal secured a spot in the singles quarterfinals of the Bengaluru Open 2024 by defeating Hong Kong’s Coleman Wong in straight sets at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) Stadium on Thursday.
Nagal, ranked 98th globally, dominated the second-round encounter on the center court, dispatching Wong with a scoreline of 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 45 minutes. Having clinched the ATP Challenger title in Chennai the previous week, Nagal maintained control throughout the match, swiftly securing a 3-1 lead in the opening set and breaking Wong again to claim the set.
While Wong presented a stronger challenge in the second set by breaking Nagal in the fifth game, the Indian player quickly retaliated, breaking his opponent’s serve without dropping a single point and leveling the score. Capitalizing on his experience, Nagal held off the 19-year-old Hong Kong player to close out the set and the match after four games.
In the upcoming quarterfinal, Nagal is set to face fifth-seed Adam Walton of Australia, who secured a victory against Belgium’s Gauthier Onclin with a score of 6-2, 6-2 in the second round of the ATP Challenger event organized by the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association.
Earlier in the tournament, seventh-seed Stefano Napolitano of Italy triumphed over Canada’s Vasek Pospisil with a scoreline of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. Pospisil, a former World No. 25 who received a wild card for the competition, displayed resilience by forcing a decider after losing the opening set. However, his chances were hampered by nine double faults, ultimately contributing to his defeat.
Key results:
Adam Walton (Aus) defeated Gauthier Onclin (Bel) 6-2, 6-2
Moez Echargui (Tun) defeated Enrico Dalla Vella (Ita) 6-2, 6-2
Stefano Napolitano (Ita) defeated Vasek Pospisil (Can) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4
Sumit Nagal (Ind) defeated Coleman Wong (Hkg) 6-2, 7-5