Sumit Nagal, ranked 131 in the world now, is happy to be back in the Davis Cup squad, that will take on Pakistan in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on November 29-30.
Nagal will be the No. 1 singles player in the tie, with the squad also having Ramkumar Ramanathan (175) and Saketh Myneni as singles players.
“It is great to be back in the Davis Cup team. I am very excited. When the tie was scheduled for September, I was not fit. I had a grade one muscle tear near my right ankle. So I had to withdraw.
“With the match then scheduled to be played on grass, I could not take a risk. Grass is a tricky surface and you are more prone to injuries,” Nagal said, agreeing that it was not really his preferred surface.
“But when the team was again announced this month, I was able to make myself available,” said Nagal, on the sidelines of the inauguration of an iDestiny store at a mall in Howrah.
“My Davis Cup debut was in 2016, versus Spain, and it was a lot of fun. But I have matured as a player and am looking forward to the tie against Pakistan,” Nagal said.
The International Tennis Federation (ITF) on Tuesday confirmed that it had dismissed Pakistan’s appeal and had chosen Nur-Sultan (erstwhile Astana) as the venue.
“The Pakistan Tennis Federation (PTF) appealed the Davis Cup Committee decision to move the tie from Islamabad. The appeal was dismissed by an independent tribunal on Monday November 18.
“Further to the decision of the PTF not to nominate a neutral venue, in accordance with Davis Cup regulations, the Davis Cup Committee has voted in favour of the tie being hosted by the ITF on neutral ground at the National Tennis Centre in Nur-Sultan (previously Astana), Kazakhstan on 29-30 November,” an ITF statement said.
The sub-zero temperature that both teams will have to face in the Kazakh capital, however, is not daunting Nagal. “We will be playing indoors and the courts are bound to be hard. So I guess it should be okay.”
Asked whether it was getting a little tough on the players to prepare for the tie, since only about 10 days are left, he agreed.
With top India players, including former captain Mahesh Bhupathi, expressing their concern about going to Pakistan, the All-India Tennis Association (AITA) had repeatedly appealed for a neutral venue and the ITF had agreed. But with PTF appealing the decision, it had taken till Monday to decide on a venue.
The India squad would be assembling in New Delhi on Thursday to practise ahead of the tie.
Nagal, who has often had niggling injuries plaguing his career, said he was aware of the issues and was working hard on his rehab.
He trains at the Nensel Tennis Academy in Peine, Germany, under coach Sascha Nensel and trainer Milos Galecic. “Galecic has worked wonders with me and is helping me to build up my body so that injuries can be minimised,” he said. “My shoulder (that had been giving him trouble earlier) is a lot better now.”
His finest moment on court till now has been the US Open first round match against Roger Federer in August.
