India’s Sumit Nagal, after qualifying for his first ATP 500 event, went down to the experienced Richard Gasquet in the first round of the Hamburg Open on Tuesday.
The French world No 65 beat the Indian qualifier ranked 207 in the world 6-2, 6-7(2) at the clay-court event in Germany.
At the ATP Atlanta Open, Prajnesh Gunneswaran squandered a one-set advantage to go down to Soon-woo Kwon 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-0 in the first round.
On the WTA circuit, India No 1 Ankita Raina lost to Patricia Maria Tig 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the Baltic Open.
The 21-year-old Nagal was slow off the block with Gasquet taking the first set swiftly with two breaks of serve. The 33-year-old had another early break in the second set as well, but that is when the Indian got back in the groove.
He broke Gasquet’s serve twice to win four straight games and had the chance to serve out the set and push for a decider. But the veteran broke him back to put the set back on serve and raced ahead in the Tiebreak.
Irrespective of the loss, it will be a good experience for the Indian his first ATP 500 main draw.
Nagal had beaten the world No 127 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-5 a day after defeating world No 171 Sebastian Ofner 7-5, 6-2 in the qualifiers.
