The 10th edition of the Dafa News Bengaluru Open produced a night of contrasting emotions for Indian tennis, and at the heart of it was Sumit Nagal’s agonising exit after one of the matches of the tournament.
The former champion and India No.1 bowed out in the Round of 16, but only after pushing second seed Harold Mayot to the absolute limits in a gruelling three-set contest that lasted over three hours and showcased Nagal’s resilience, tactical depth, and fighting spirit.
Nagal eventually went down 7-6(2), 6-1, 7-6(11), but the scoreline barely captures the intensity of a match that swung repeatedly in momentum and demanded extraordinary physical and mental endurance from both players. Mayot was forced to save seven match points, underlining just how close Nagal came to extending his campaign in Bengaluru.
The match began with Mayot asserting early control, breaking serve in the opening set and attempting to dictate play with depth and consistency from the baseline. Nagal, however, responded in familiar fashion. Known throughout his career for his ability to absorb pressure and grind his way back into matches, the Indian clawed back the break two games later, forcing the set into a tie-break. There, Mayot raised his level at key moments, applying sustained pressure to edge the breaker and take the opening set.
What followed was a reminder of Nagal’s tactical intelligence. Recognising the need to disrupt Mayot’s rhythm, the Indian shifted his approach dramatically in the second set. He began approaching the net more frequently, shortening points and forcing Mayot to hit on the run. The change paid immediate dividends. Nagal broke early, dictated terms with authority, and raced through the set 6-1, drawing loud support from the home crowd and firmly swinging momentum back in his favour.
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The decider turned into a war of attrition befitting the occasion. Both players were pushed deep into rallies, testing each other’s movement and endurance. Nagal produced a series of spectacular returns, repeatedly forcing Mayot to scramble and defend from uncomfortable positions. Neither player was willing to yield, and the set stayed on serve through long, physically draining games that stretched the contest past the three-hour mark.
A second tie-break seemed inevitable, and it delivered drama in abundance. Nagal struck first, using his forehand to take early control and create match points. However, fatigue began to creep in at the worst possible moment. Mayot held his nerve, defending resolutely and capitalising on narrow margins to save all seven match points. With composure under extreme pressure, the Frenchman turned the tide and eventually sealed the tie-break 13-11, bringing an end to one of the most demanding matches seen at this year’s tournament.
While the defeat ends Nagal’s singles run, the performance itself reaffirmed why he remains India’s leading singles player. Against a higher-seeded opponent, Nagal matched intensity, adapted tactically, and stayed competitive deep into a third-set tie-break. For a player who has consistently carried the burden of Indian men’s singles tennis on the Challenger circuit, the match was another example of his ability to compete at a high level week after week.
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Elsewhere on the day, Indian tennis had reasons to celebrate. Dhakshineswar Suresh produced a gutsy comeback to defeat France’s Felix Balshaw 6-3, 1-6, 7-6(4), showing resilience after being broken late in the decider. Eighteen-year-old wildcard Manas Dhamne continued his impressive run, overcoming Kazakhstan’s Beibit Zhukayev 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 with a composed performance that highlighted his anticipation and baseline control.
Top seed Pedro Martinez, Timofey Skatov, Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Jonas Forejtek and Matteo Martineau also progressed to the quarter-finals, while in doubles, Indian interest remains alive through SD Prajwal Dev and Nitin Kumar Sinha, along with top seeds N. Sriram Balaji and Neil Oberleitner.
For Nagal, the Bengaluru Open ends earlier than he would have hoped, but not without a statement. In a match defined by endurance, adaptability and nerve, he showed that he remains a formidable presence on the Challenger circuit. As the season unfolds, performances like this even in defeat reinforce his role as the standard-bearer for Indian men’s singles tennis.
