India will not have a singles player in the US Open 2026 main draw after Sumit Nagal bowed out in the opening round of qualifiers, losing 3-6, 6-7(4) to top seed Arthur Gea in New York.
Nagal, India’s top-ranked men’s singles player, put up a strong fight against the World No. 86 Frenchman but could not take the match into a deciding set. The Indian had a set point while Gea was serving at 4-5 in the second set, but the Frenchman saved it and then held his nerve in the tie-break to close out the contest.
Gea made the better start and took control of the opening set. Nagal struggled to put sustained pressure on the Frenchman’s serve and found himself trailing early. Gea kept the points on his terms and wrapped up the first set 6-3.
The second set, however, was far more competitive. Nagal settled into the match and began to challenge Gea from the baseline, refusing to allow the Frenchman to pull away. The Indian stayed level through the set and eventually put himself in position to force a decider.
Serving at 4-5, Gea faced his biggest test of the match. At 30-40, Nagal earned a set point and had a clear chance to level the contest. Gea responded well under pressure, saving the opportunity before holding serve to make it 5-5.
Neither player could break in the next two games, sending the set into a tie-break. Gea then moved ahead and converted his advantage, winning the breaker 7-4 to complete the 6-3, 7-6(4) victory.
For Nagal, the defeat brings an end to a season that has taken some time to find its direction. The Indian endured an inconsistent opening few months and struggled to put together a sustained run of results.
His fortunes improved from May onwards, particularly on the Challenger Tour. Nagal began producing more consistent performances and picked up an important title at the Trgu Mure? Challenger. The run provided a much-needed boost after a difficult first phase of the season and gave him momentum heading into the second half of the year.
He followed that with a run at the Liberec Challenger before making his way to New York for the final Grand Slam of the season. The progress had offered Nagal a chance to build on his improved form and make another push towards the Grand Slam main draw.
Instead, he was handed one of the toughest possible assignments in the opening round.
Gea arrived at the US Open as the top seed in qualifying and was also coming off the biggest title of his career. The Frenchman had won his maiden ATP 250 title in Los Cabos shortly before travelling to New York, giving him considerable confidence going into the qualifying tournament.
Nagal was therefore up against an opponent who was not only significantly higher-ranked but also carrying strong momentum. Despite that, the Indian stayed in the contest and came within one set point of taking the match to a decider.
The missed opportunity at 4-5 ultimately proved decisive. Once Gea saved the set point, Nagal was unable to regain the advantage in the tie-break.
– Ends
