2024 looked like the year Sumit Nagal had been waiting for his whole career.
He kicked things off with a bang—reaching the second round of the Australian Open, making his debut in all four Grand Slams, clinching titles on the Challenger circuit, and even representing India at the Paris Olympics.
He soared to a career-high ranking of World No. 68, inching ever closer to “Project 61” — his personal mission to surpass Somdev Devvarman’s best ranking of 62.
But just as the stars seemed to align, the script took an unexpected twist. Now, in April 2025, Nagal finds himself ranked World No. 141.
So, what really went wrong?
Fitness Concerns and Back Injury: Towards the end of 2024 season, Sumit Nagal faced a series of setbacks due to a persistent back injury, leading him to withdraw from several key tournaments.
Notably, he pulled out of the Davis Cup tie against Sweden, scheduled for September 14-15, 2024, in Stockholm.
Nagal expressed his disappointment, stating that the injury had been troubling him for weeks, and medical advice necessitated a two-week rest period, leaving him insufficient time to prepare for the event.
Additionally, this back issue compelled Nagal to withdraw from the US Open doubles event and Hangzhou Open around the same time. Later in the year, during the Moselle Open in November 2024, Nagal retired mid-match in the Round of 32 against Corentin Moutet due to the same back problem. He started strong but was forced to retire with the score at 5-7, 0-4.
Persistent injuries have hampered his training and recovery, leading to physical fatigue that undermines his competitive edge. In addition, his game has shown signs of inconsistency, with an increase in unforced errors during critical moments that cost him valuable matches.
This period marked a critical downturn in his season, with missed opportunities at high-ranking events contributing to a dip in his ATP ranking after his career-high in July 2024.
Tough Draws at Higher-Level Tournaments:
Though it is no doubt that Nagal has the capability and potential to pull off upsets at bigger tournaments, his journey at ATP 250s, 500s, and Grand Slams hasn’t been as smooth—due to the cruel nature of tournament draws.
Often, Nagal has to play qualifying rounds to make it to the main draw of the events which means playing 2–3 high-intensity matches and entering the main draw with fatigue while other seeded players start fresh.
Things don’t get easier even then as the first-round matchups are brutal. Without a seeding, you’re likely to run into top 20 or top 30 opponents right away—players who are battle-tested, fresh, and often on home turf.
Here’s a quick glimpse of his first round opponents in ATP tournaments over the past year-
i) Geneva Open 2024 ATP 250: vs Sebastian Baez [5]
ii) Roland Garros 2024 Grand Slam: vs Karen Khachanov [18]
iii) Wimbledon 2024: vs Miomir Kecmanovic
iv) US Open 2024 Grand Slam: vs Tallon Griekspoor
v) ASB Classic 2025 ATP 250: vs Alex Michelsen [8]
vi) Australian Open 2025 Grand Slam: vs Tomas Machac [26]
He has not been able to get past these R1 matches and early losses do not reward enough ranking points, eat away at the momentum he builds in Challengers and make it harder to maintain or improve rankings, despite good performances elsewhere.
Points Drop from Previous Year’s Results:
The ATP ranking system doesn’t just reward success—it demands consistency. Operating on a 52-week rolling format, it requires players to defend the points they earned in the previous year, week by week, tournament by tournament. If they can’t match—or ideally exceed—those performances, their ranking begins to slide.
And that’s exactly what’s been happening with Sumit Nagal in early 2025. Nagal had a solid start in 2024 that set the bar high and fast forward to 2025, the script hasn’t followed the same high notes.
Whether due to injury, fatigue, or tougher competition, Nagal hasn’t replicated the same results from early 2024.
An early loss in the Australian Open and not being able to dig deep in the Challenger events has impacted his ranking even further.
The mental toll of a demanding schedule and the pressure of high-level competition have also played a role, making it difficult to maintain his previous standards.
Increased Competition:
There’s been a surge in younger and returning players in the Challenger and lower ATP tier. The rankings are getting tighter, especially between ranks 50–200.
The likes of Arthur Fils, Jakub Mensik, Joao Fonseca and other younger players have been climbing fast, putting pressure on players like Nagal.
Despite the setbacks, Sumit Nagal remains a fighter, a name you can never count out.
Just a year ago in 2023, he had barely a few euros in his bank account, struggling to fund his travels and coaching expenses and now he has got the spotlight he truly deserves. His journey has never been smooth, but it’s always been inspiring.
Now, it’s about regrouping, getting his body back to 100%, and picking tournaments smartly—especially as the European clay season kicks in, a surface where he’s historically performed well. And let’s not forget the power of belief. His fans, who’ve cheered him through highs and lows, continue to be a pillar of strength.
Nagal’s schedule over the next few weeks is competing in tournaments in the European clay court swing, where he’s known to thrive. If there’s ever a place for a resurgence, it’s right there in the red dirt.
