by Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
The following is the interview transcript with Sumit Nagal of India following his 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over Joao Menenez of Brazil in the final-round of U.S. Open qualifying for the 2019 U.S. Open. Nagal’s win places him in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career, where he will face Roger Federer in the first round.
RANDY WALKER: So, congratulations you’re in the main draw. This is going to be your first ever major…
SUMIT NAGAL: Thank you. Yeah right this is my first major right.
RANDY WALKER: So how does that feel? You got to feel totally pumped.
SUMIT NAGAL: It feels very, very good actually. The last few slams, the qualifyings I played I lost first, first, first round. And coming from an injury from past… playing one tournament last 6 weeks and then coming and playing one one hard and beating players who are good. Ito is a really good player. I lost to him last year, and then Polansky also is very good player, whose been playing Slams from past 10 years. And then the guy of the last qualies who have lost to twice to him in matches before here. So, looking at it, you know, everything went positive way. I’m happy with the result and now I’m in the major and now wins count because you play tennis to play Grand Slams not to play challenges and futures.
RANDY WALKER: So, talk a little bit about your match today. So, you lost the first set and you were down 4-1 in the second?
SUMIT NAGAL: So yeah. So I lost the first set I had chances in the first set and it was 5-all. He was serving love-40. So I had two big ones to break in and I didn’t take it and then 6-5 for him and I was serving 40-15 again to hold the serve and I didn’t take it and lost the set there. It was not great. Second set he comes, plays a nice game. Then he breaks me from, I had a game point, breaks me, he held. Then he had a break point and a second serve and he just went for a shot and he missed it. And I think that’s where the momentum changed, you know. He missed the three, I got it to 3-1. I held that one, been a close game. He was up a set and then he goes 4-1 and then I sort of held for two and then that’s when I broke him at 4-2. I knew, you know, that things were getting, you could see it. He was making more nervous, making more errors. He was trying to go for shots, when you’re not supposed to. So I thought, I just needed to hang there. And that what I did and then at the end things changed.
RANDY WALKER: Were you feeling nerves?
SUMIT NAGAL: Here and there. You know I think it’s a part of tennis. When things are going your way and you see, you see the big picture you start getting a little nervous. You know, that’s what happened. I mean, I’m pretty sure he was also nervous and I’m pretty sure a lot of people who are playing here get nervous, but it’s just how you deal with it.
RANDY WALKER: How did you feel the atmosphere was out there? I mean the crowd was great and there was a lot of Indians out there cheering you on.
SUMIT NAGAL: Oh, it was great. It was great. I think it was great for both of us. You know, it was really almost packed you know. And the crowd was going for both of us. And it was really nice to play, you know when there is a live crowd you know. Like I said where the tournaments I have been playing you know get so much a crowd like this so it was amazing.
RANDY WALKER: Was that one of the bigger crowds you’ve ever played in front of?
SUMIT NAGAL: I think when I played junior doubles finals at Wimbledon there was a decent crowd that day. That would be the biggest crowd I ever played. Yeah
RANDY WALKER: Talk a little bit about your development, and where you trained and how you got to be at this level.
SUMIT NAGAL: Right, so I been based in Germany from past 5-6 years.
RANDY WALKER: Okay. Where in Germany?
SUMIT NAGAL: So I was at Schuettler Wasker for about 4 years then I exit and I went down to train with the Sascha Nelson. He’s the tennis coach and Milos Galachet is my fitness trainer. So…
RANDY WALKER: What town is that in?
SUMIT NAGAL: They have an academy in Peine. It’s a very small town close to Hanover and Braunscheig. That’s between there. So Sascha owns his own academy so I last summer in August is when I made a decision to go train with Sascha and Milos. And since then I have been with them, mostly I travel with either Sascha or Milos, one of them. I’m enjoying. I get what I wanted. What I was looking for and I’m really happy with it.
RANDY WALKER: Now what about some of your inspirations, some of your idols. I mean India has a great tennis tradition.
SUMIT NAGAL: Right, right I mean the thing is when I was young I… when I started playing tennis I had no idea what tennis. So I never grew up watching tennis. And also I do not have a tennis background. I was very new to this sport, and then I got… I started watching and when I started playing more tennis I was already in Canada at that time and at that time we were watching, I was watching. I was always watching Rafa or Roger, I always enjoyed watching them play.
RANDY WALKER: So how did you start playing tennis?
SUMIT NAGAL: It was very random. It was just decision made by my father. Saying, “I’m gonna put you in a individual sport” and that’s it. And when we went to a club the tennis courts were in front and he said, “Oh, okay. We’ll try this.”
RANDY WALKER: And where was that?
SUMIT NAGAL: It was in New Delhi. In my hometown.
RANDY WALKER: Okay. Okay.
SUMIT NAGAL: So that’s how I started playing tennis.
RANDY WALKER: And how old were you when that happened?
SUMIT NAGAL: Like, 7 1/2. Just about to turn 8.
RANDY WALKER: Now so you talk about Germany and Canada, so you just kind of traveled around.
SUMIT NAGAL: Yeah, right. Right. So when I was 8 then I played 2 years in India, I mean in New Delhi and then I moved to a city called Bangalore south of India. I was there for 2 years and then I was sponsored and mentored by Mahesh Bhupathi.
RANDY WALKER: Yeah okay.
SUMIT NAGAL: So he’s been my mentor from since I was 10.
RANDY WALKER: Okay.
SUMIT NAGAL: So, at 10-12 I was in Bangalore. From 12-16 I was in Canada. At 16 …
RANDY WALKER: Where in Canada?
SUMIT NAGAL: Toronto.
RANDY WALKER: Okay.
SUMIT NAGAL: The coach who was taking care of the program in Bangalore, he was Canadian. So, and then we decided it’s better for me to go to Canada. So that happened at 16, then 16 from there I moved out to Germany, and then now I’m at the second place in Germany.
RANDY WALKER: And this is all independent of your family? This is just a tennis decision.
SUMIT NAGAL: Right, my family still lives in New Delhi.
RANDY WALKER: Okay. Okay. Just talk a little bit about also like, India has such a strong tennis tradition. Going back to Krishnans and Amritraj. Just talk a little bit about you know the history of India.
SUMIT NAGAL: Exactly. We had really good players as you just mentioned, those names. And then there was Somdev and then you know there was a time where Somdev and Rohan was playing a singles of a bit ago. And since then there was not too much happening, then we had Yuki coming up making main draws which is nice. Then, 2 years nothing happening and now we had Prajnesh playing well, making all main draws. Was very nice. And then we always had Ramkumar playing qualies and now I’ve secured a ranking where I can play all the qualies. So at least we have two between us playing singles instead of one guy playing main draw and then nothing coming up for 2-3 years. You know, things are getting better. You know, people are starting to say things more, you know. It’s tough to be in India and become a tennis player. It’s not easy because a lot of things are missing in India. So…
RANDY WALKER: Like what?
SUMIT NAGAL: I guess, we could go all day long. It’s just…
RANDY WALKER: Courts, coaches, yeah
SUMIT NAGAL: Everything, everything. You can just name it, everything. There’s no infrastructure, you know. And then…so like I said all the players who have done well they have lived outside and become a pro. That’s how it is, I mean I’m pretty sure you know, the more years the incoming years they’re going to be better and better tennis players, like I just said there are just starting to see things in a better way.
RANDY WALKER: Now, how would you kinda equate tennis in India. Is it number 2 behind cricket maybe?
SUMIT NAGAL: No, I don’t think it’s number 2.
RANDY WALKER: No?
SUMIT NAGAL: No, that is tough to say. Cricket is number 1 and then it just maybe badminton now.
RANDY WALKER: Oh really?
SUMIT NAGAL: Yeah, just because… yeah we had one silver medalist in the Olympics so you know. It was very big for India. Since then the badminton has been doing well. They have, so I don’t think tennis would be second right now, but it’s done well there, you know. So it’s still top…
RANDY WALKER: Top 5 maybe?
SUMIT NAGAL: Yeah, definitely could say top 5 maybe. Yeah a lot of people play. A lot of people are playing and participating, but a lot of people are coming out. That’s the thing.
RANDY WALKER So, now you could kinda theoretically you’re the number two Indian, or close?
SUMIT NAGAL: I’m somewhere there. I’m not sure.
RANDY WALKER: Do you feel like you’re maybe…have you played Davis Cup or?
SUMIT NAGAL: I did play in 2016.
RANDY WALKER: Do you think that you could now, based on this result here…
SUMIT NAGAL: I mean that’s the goal. That’s the goal to push as much as possible and bring us back in the main draw, you know regroup let’s see how that goes you know. A lot of things have to mix to get there.
RANDY WALKER: So I read that the tie with Pakistan is going to be delayed.
SUMIT NAGAL: So things are still are happening so nothing is sure yet, so let’s see how that comes out.
RANDY WALKER: It is scheduled as of now to be played in Pakistan.
SUMIT NAGAL: Islamabad. In Pakistan. The second week of September but the histories are not great between India and Pakistan so there stuff is still happening so I think we are going to wait for a decision on September 9 to finalize what is happening, what is going to happen.
RANDY WALKER: Do you have any kind of comment on, you know, should that be.
SUMIT NAGAL: I don’t want.
RANDY WALKER: Don’t want to talk about that, yeah. That’s fine, I understand that.
SUMIT NAGAL: Yeah.
RANDY WALKER: So now when you’re playing in the main draw do you like potentially Roger, there’s a couple… is there any kind of dream scenario?
SUMIT NAGAL: Roger.
RANDY WALKER: Yeah. You want Roger.
SUMIT NAGAL: It’s what you look for. It’s what you want when you were young. You say, “Oh I wish I play Roger one day. I play Rafa one day.” That’s what you wish for. So I’ll be very, very happy if I get that. I’d be super pumped.
RANDY WALKER: So you say that if you… the reason you play tennis is you want to play at the big tournaments against the big players.
SUMIT NAGAL: Right. Exactly, that’s what you play for right? Nobody want to play for Challengers or Futures right? You going to play in ATP and you going to play big events. You want to compete at the high level. That’s when you improve the most, you know. When opponents are better than you, that’s when you come out and you’re high intensity, higher level. So, that’s it.
RANDY WALKER: Yeah, that’s great. I feel the same way. I think if you’re getting through the tournament, I mean like go for the best experience and have, be grateful for the opportunity.
SUMIT NAGAL: Yeah. Exactly. Right, super. Really super amazing.
RANDY WALKER: That’s great. Well congratulations. It was great meeting you and good talking to you and we’ll see how the draw turns out.
SUMIT NAGAL: Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you.
