Bengaluru, Feb. 8 -- Sumit Nagal went down swinging against Jesper De Jong, and what a fight it was. From the first serve to the last point, Nagal showed the kind of heart that makes you sit up and take notice, even when the scoreboard wasn't in his favor. De Jong edged the fourth rubber 6-4 in the final set, but Nagal's effort was far from a quiet exit. The tie now stands 2-2, and all eyes turn to Dakshineswar Suresh to see India through to the second round.
The first set? Classic Nagal. Calm under pressure, aggressive when it mattered. He took every point as a challenge, forcing De Jong into long rallies, trading shots, digging deep. At 5-5, most players would have wilted, but not Nagal. He seized the moment, converted the crucial break ...