India’s top-ranked tennis singles player Sumit Nagal has secured a place in the main draw of the Australian Open 2024 for the second time. Nagal defeated Slovakia’s Alex Molkan in the qualifying final of the Australian Open 2024 on Friday.

Nagal had earlier made it to the main draw of the tournament in 2021. In the year 2021, Nagal got a wild card entry in the first round of Australian Open, but then she lost.

26-year-old Sumit defeated Molkan 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets in less than two hours and made it to the main round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 2021.

Will face Bublik in the first round
Nagal is currently ranked 139th in the singles world rankings. Nagal was in the main draw of the US Open in 2019 and 2020 and again at the Australian Open in 2021. Nagal will face world number-31 Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the first round of Australia Open.

Nagal will face Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan in the first round of Australia Open.

Sumit did not lose a single set in the qualifiers round
Nagal had defeated Jeffrey Blancaneaux of France 6-3, 7-5 in the Australian Open qualifiers in the first round. In the second round, Australian Edward Winter was defeated 6-3, 6-2.

Australian Open will start from January 14
The Australian Open stable season begins on January 14. Its final will be played on 28 January. Around 200 players (men’s and women’s) participate in the tournament.

History of Australian Open
The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam of the year. The Low Tennis Association of Australia started this tournament in 1905, which was first called the Australian Championships. The lone Tennis Association of Australia later became Tennis Association Australia. After this the Australian Championship was named Australian Open. Since 1969, this tennis tournament has been officially named the Australian Open.

This is the first Grand Slam of the year
There are 4 Grand Slams in tennis. All four are held annually, starting with the Australian Open in January. The French Open takes place in May and June. Wimbledon is held in July and US Open in August-September. The US Open is the last Grand Slam of the year.

The main drivers of all Grand Slams had previously played qualifiers.
The entry of some players into all the ranking tournaments organized by ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) is done through qualifier matches. This gives top-ranked players from other countries a chance to play in the tournament.

Qualifiers are played at major levels before the main draws of the Australian Open and the remaining three Grand Slams. This year, a total of 128 players will play qualifiers in the singles event and 16 of them will be included in the main draw place.