Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal faced defeat against South Korea's Seong-chan Hong in a hard-fought final qualifying round at the Indian Wells Masters.
Nagal, despite a spirited effort, lost 6-2, 2-6, 6-7 (4-7) in the encounter on Tuesday.
In his initial match at the Indian Wells Masters, Nagal had a convincing victory against American wildcard Stefan Dostanic, securing a straight-set win of 6-2, 6-2 in the qualifying first round on Monday.
While Nagal didn't emerge victorious against Hong, he earned 10 ranking points and USD 14,400 in prize money by reaching the final qualifying round.
The 26-year-old Indian player had recently achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Indian men's singles player in ten years to progress to the second round of the Australian Open.
Additionally, Nagal secured the Chennai Challengers title, entering the top 100 rankings. Despite facing setbacks in Pune and Dubai, his recent performances have showcased his competitive spirit on the tennis circuit.