BASTAD (SWEDEN), July 18: India’s No.1 singles player Sumit Nagal lost his pre quarter-final match against fourth seeded Argentine Mariano Navone in straight sets 4-6 2-6 here on Thursday.
Had Nagal won this round, he could have had a possible face-off with the legendary Spaniard Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals but the world No. 36 was too good for the Indian, who recently gained five places in the ATP rankings to move to No. 68.
Nagal, a clay court specialist has qualified for the singles event at Paris Olympics and this was his last tournament before the quadrennial extravaganza which begins in Paris from July 26. (PTI)