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Sumit Nagal and Alexander Bublik (File Photo: X)
It was September of last year when the Indian sporting circle after an interview with India’s top seed tennis star in singles, Sumit Nagal went viral on social media. He revealed how he was left with only Rs. 80,000 in his bank account; but now, the young star has turned the tables in his favour with his sensational performance in the ongoing Australian Open 2024 in Melbourne.
World number 137 Nagal stunned everyone by defeating the 27-ranked Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in straight sets during the first round. Nagal clinched this match by an amazing margin of 6-4, 6-2, and 7-6 (7-5).
In a historic turnaround of events, Nagal became the first Indian tennis star to defeat a seeded player in the Australian Open since Ramesh Krishnan did it last time in the Australian Open in 1989.
Earlier, Nagal defeated Slovakia’s Alex Molcan to qualify for the main round of the Australian Open 2024.
Now, Nagal will take on Chinese star JC Shang in the second round; Shang is currently placed at the 140th rank in the tennis rankings. Nagal will get closer to the amount of money which he desires to get funded to make it to the top 100 rankings if he beats JC Shang in his next match during the second round.
Even if he doesn’t succeed against Shang in the second round, he will finish with the prize money of AUS $180,000 (INR 98 Lakh) owing to his win over 27th seed Alexander Bublik.
Here's what Sumit Nagal revealed about his bank balance and financial condition
“If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the beginning of the year. It is 900 euros (approx Rs 80,000). I am currently getting help from Mr. Prashant Sutar through MAHA Tennis Foundation and I also get monthly (salary) from IOCL but the funding needed to break into the top 100 is around one crore,” said Nagal to PTI in an exclusive interview last year.
“I am investing whatever I am making. The yearly cost when I travel with one coach is costing me around 80 lahks to 1 crore and that is just with one travelling coach (no physio). Whatever I have made I have already invested,” he added later.