Indian tennis ace Sumit Nagal marked his debut at the Indian Wells Masters with a commanding victory over American wildcard Stefan Dostanic in straight sets.
Nagal, the top-ranked Indian player, secured a 6-2, 6-2 triumph in the opening round of qualifying on Monday.
Seeded eighth, Nagal demonstrated his prowess by clinching victory in just 68 minutes without facing any break points throughout the match. By progressing to the final qualifying round, Nagal secured 10 valuable ranking points and a prize purse of USD 14,400.
Nagal has recently been making waves in the tennis world, notably becoming the first Indian men's singles player in a decade to reach the second round of the Australian Open. His success continued with a triumph at the Chennai Challengers, propelling him into the top 100 rankings. Despite setbacks in Pune and Dubai, Nagal remains a force to be reckoned with.
In the upcoming second qualifying round on Tuesday, Nagal is set to face Seong-chan Hong.
Hong, who emerged victorious in a Korean derby against Seong-chan Hong with a 6-3, 6-3 scoreline, looks to challenge Nagal for a coveted spot in the main draw.
Enjoying a commendable run of form, Hong has reached two ATP Challenger level finals this year, including an appearance in Bengaluru. The clash between Nagal and Hong promises to be a compelling contest as both players vie for a prestigious place in the Indian Wells Masters main draw.