Sumit Nagal: Want to finish season strongly, starting with Davis Cup

Sumit Nagal is currently ranked 247th in the world. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In the last few months, Sumit Nagal has made gradual progress in his bid to return to the level he had shown in 2024 when he was at a career high of 68, and competing frequently at Tour-level events and the Majors.

In June, he clinched his first Challenger title in two years. In July, he made it to the semifinals in another Challenger in Czechia. Last month, he landed in New York with the possibility of getting into the US Open qualifiers even though he was outside the initial entry cut-off.

As it turned out, he did make it into the draw after some withdrawals but ended up facing top-seeded Frenchman Arthur Gea and lost in straight sets in the opening round. Nevertheless, it was a step in the right direction as he made his first appearance at a Grand Slam since last year’s Wimbledon.

The belief he had lost in his body and fitness is back. And with that confidence, he hopes to lead India to victory over South Korea in a second-round tie of the Davis Cup Qualifiers this weekend.

In an exclusive interview with Sportstar on Monday, facilitated by ASICS India, Nagal shared his thoughts on the Davis Cup tie in Seoul, the experience of playing at a Major again after a while, and his plans for 2027:-

Q. When did you reach Seoul and did you have a chance to practice on the courts?

I got here on Saturday morning. I got a hit yesterday and today, a very long one. I’m going to do that same thing tomorrow and get ready for Friday. The courts are not very bouncy but the speed is medium slow.

Q. India is playing at this stage for the first time since the Davis Cup format change in 2019. How much pressure is there to win since Korea is not exactly one of the formidable teams?

Everybody knows that the opportunity is very good to do something that we have never done since the format has changed.

But at the same time, we need to stay calm, focus point by point. We can’t be thinking so ahead. The first thing is to get ready in practice, feel and move well, play the way you want to play and then, just fight.

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If you do everything right, it’ll favour you more than the opponents and personally, that’s what I’m going to do.

Just work on those few key areas and give your 100 per cent on that day.

Q. How was the experience of playing at a Major after more than a year and facing Arthur Gea, who went on to reach the 4th round as a lucky loser at the US Open?

It was a little bit unfortunate because I had break points and a set point. I felt like I could have won that match. But at the same time, while talking about it with my coach, Sascha Nensel, I said that when I took a flight to New York, I was not even in the draw.

Nagal believes India should approach the Davis Cup point-by-point, focusing on staying calm and not thinking too ahead. | Photo Credit: RAGU R

I got there to practice. Especially since I’ve not played in six months on a hard court. For whatever amount I had, I did my best. I really enjoyed playing. I hadn’t played a slam for a year. So, I just wanted to enjoy it for once and not worry about the result and I felt like I was able to do that. 

It’s unfortunate that I didn’t win the match. Don’t get me wrong. Of course, it hurts. And like you said, the guy made the fourth round. I felt like I was playing well but those two points….

This will go against you and with you in tennis. It just depends where and when.

Q. Do you remember any experience or anecdote from your early days in tennis that has stayed with you and made you who you are?

The struggles I had when I was a kid. For two years, I didn’t know what holidays were. I would wake up at 5 a.m., do fitness from 5.45 or 6 o’clock to 7.30, come back home, take a shower, get ready, go to school, come back at 2 p.m., eat and sleep a bit. And then, I would practice from 6 to 9.

The daily struggles were incredible back then. And I also believe that’s what made me tough. My dad had a motorbike and we would go on that, whether it was 45 degrees or three degrees Celcius in Delhi. It didn’t really make a difference.

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I will never forget those days. And it’s also a part of growing up, learning as a human and appreciating what you have now. It really helps me in that way.

Q. What sort of changes have you felt in your fitness since getting a nutritionist on board?

The body is reacting well. Since April, things have been going the way I wanted them to go.

At least, I’m able to compete in every tournament. For me, that’s the most important part because I know the rest I will figure it out. For the last 15-16 months, I was not playing more than two-three months in a row. And that’s tough if you want to succeed, especially having my game style because I need to play every point. I can’t just stand on the baseline and serve at 240 kph.

Q. You’ve partnered with ASICS. What appealed to you about this association, and what does representing a performance-driven brand like ASICS mean to you as a professional athlete?

For me, the right partnership is one where the brand genuinely understands what it takes to compete at the highest level. Tennis is a game of fine margins, where every movement, change of direction and split second matters.

What I value about ASICS is its athlete-first approach and the way it combines sports science and innovation to develop technology for the demands of tennis. I have always appreciated the ethos of Japanese brands, particularly their focus on quality, consistency and attention to detail, which I see reflected in ASICS.

Nagal says he enjoyed his Grand Slam comeback match at the US Open 2026 qualifiers, despite losing to Arthur Gea. | Photo Credit: MURALI KUMAR K

I believe performing at your best comes from how you prepare, the equipment you trust and the mindset you bring to the court. You can put in all the work before a match, but once you step on court, you need composure under pressure and the resilience to stay in the fight.

That connection between physical preparation and mental strength is what makes ASICS’ ‘Sound Mind, Sound Body’ philosophy meaningful to me. I am proud to represent a brand that combines high-performance technology with an understanding of the athlete beyond the court.”

Q. Right now, you’re ranked 247 in the ATP Rankings. Have you made your plans and set goals for next year?

I think it will be based on the rest of this season because I want to focus on finishing strong and then get ready for the next year. 

There are two options. Either I go and play on hard courts in Europe. If I stick to clay, then I’ll probably play for three weeks in Portugal and four or five weeks in South America. If I stay on hard court, then I need to know what I’m going to do for the last four or five weeks of the season.