Nagal fades away, loses to Troicki

PUNE: Sumit Nagal’s match can be described in three phases— slow to get into rhythm in the first set, fighting like a warrior in the next and then a complete surrender in the decider.

The score-line 2-6, 7-6 (4), 1-6 reflects on how the 125th ranked Nagal impressed before bowing out against World No. 191 Viktor Troicki of Serbia in a two hour 19-minute battle in the first round of the Tata Open Maharashtra ATP event at the Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi on Monday.

Nagal was playing the catching game in the first set as he was broken in the first serve after a few errors at the base line and a couple of double faults allowed Troicki to take the set.

the 40-year-old from Croatia, could not do much this time as he was eliminated by Cedrikmarcel Stebe of Germany, who won 6-3, 6-4 after a match lasting just over an hour.

Stebe, who had landed in Pune after a first round loss to Frenchman Benoit Paire in the Australian Open, had a difficult start as he saved five break points in the first game but broke Karlovic in the sixth.

In the 2019 edition, Karlovic was only broken once—in the semi-final against Steve Darcis. On Friday, the Croatian had six aces but was outdone by the ferocious game of Stebe. “I knew him before, he is really fast, unbelievable hands. He can do anything on the court. I knew it’s going be extremely difficult, again I didn’t use my opportunities. And that is it,” said Karlovic.