Sumit Nagal loses, but not without making Federer sweat

TIL Desk Sports/ Indian qualifier Sumit Nagal bowed out of the US Open 2019 but not before giving five-time champion Roger Federer a tough fight in the first round contest that stretched to four sets. On Monday, Nagal lost 6-4, 1-6, 2-6, 4-6 in a match that lasted two hours and 30 minutes.

Nagal walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium for his first Grand Slam main draw match without having ever earned a tour-level victory. But the 22-year-old showed little fear and won the first set 6-4 against Federer — who made 19 unforced errors. It was for the first time since 2003 that Federer had lost a set in his first-round match at the US Open.

However, in the next three sets, the world No. 190, seeking his first tour-level win, did not seem to have the weaponry to take the racquet out of the Swiss” hands and lost 1-6, 2-6, 4-6 to bow out of the competition. Once Federer cut down his errors after the first set, he kept on top of Nagal, and recovered to enter the next round where he will face Bosnia”s Damir Dzumhur.