Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal has advanced to the main draw of the BNP Paribas Open as a 'lucky loser' after Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal withdrew from the event citing a lack of willingness to play at the highest level. The 26-year-old Nagal had lost in the second round of the qualifying tournament, but got the big break because he was the highest-ranked player in that draw. He is currently ranked 101st in the ATP rankings and was entitled to continue in the event of a last-minute withdrawal from the main draw.
The Indian will take on Canada's Milos Raonic, a 2016 Wimbledon finalist who is in the protected rankings, early on Friday. Players who have been injured for at least six months can request a protected ranking, which is an average of their ranking during the first three months of the injury.
“Excited for my ATP Masters 1000 debut in Indian Wells,” Nagal wrote on X.
Excited for my ATP Masters 1000 debut in Indian Wells pic.twitter.com/DmjeX7zvW9
— Sumit Nagal (@nagalsumit) March 7, 2024
Earlier, the 37-year-old Nadal announced his withdrawal in a statement. The Spaniard has been struggling with injuries and had to undergo hip surgery last season.
“It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this great tournament. Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I enjoy playing here at Indian Wells,” he said.
“I've been working hard and practicing hard and you all know I took a test this weekend, but I'm not ready to play in such an important event at the highest level.
“It is not an easy decision, in fact it is a difficult decision, but I cannot lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans. I will miss you all and I am sure the tournament will be a great success.” he added.
I've been working and practicing hard and you all know I took a test this weekend, but I'm not ready to play in such an important event at the highest level.
It's not an easy decision, in fact it's a difficult decision, but I can't lie to myself and lie to the… pic.twitter.com/JslDFANMW8— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) March 7, 2024
Tournament director Tommy Haas expressed his disappointment at Nadal's withdrawal.
“We are disappointed that Rafa cannot play in the BNP Paribas Open, but we wish him continued recovery and hope he can return to action soon,” Haas said.
Nagal broke into the ATP top 100 last month thanks to his title win in the Chennai Challenger event. However, he retired shortly afterwards due to disappointing results in the subsequent tournaments.
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