Did Sumit Nagal intentionally skip Davis Cup? AITA slams him
What's the story
The All India Tennis Association (AITA) has accused India's leading men's singles tennis player, Sumit Nagal, of intentionally missing the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden. As per the tennis body, Nagal initially cited an injury as his reason for not participating in the prestigious tournament but is now preparing to take part in China's ATP tournament. This revelation comes after India lost Sweden (0-4) in the World Group I contest held in Stockholm.
Player absence
Absence of top players impacted India's performance
The AITA has expressed that the absence of Nagal and Yuki Bhambri affected India's performance in the Davis Cup tie. The team was led by Rohit Rajpal and had doubles player N Sriram Balaji. Ramkumar Ramanathan was India's only seasoned campaigner, with Aryan Shah and Siddharth Vishwakarma making their debut.
Commitment questioned
AITA questions Nagal's commitment to national team
Nagal had withdrawn from the tie due to a reported back issue, while Bhambri did not give a specific reason for his non-participation. AITA secretary Anil Dhupar questioned Nagal's commitment, stating, "Sumit Nagal said he had some back problem, but (is) that problem okay (now)? He is playing a tournament in China." This statement comes as Nagal gears up for the ATP250 event in Hangzhou, where he will take on a qualifier in his opening round.
Management defense
AITA defends its management amid criticism
Following India's defeat, Nagal as well as former players Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja criticized the way AITA operates. In response to these criticisms, the association released a statement on X, stating that representing India in Davis Cup is about "honor, national pride and inspiring the next generation of athletes." The statement also claimed that players like Nagal, Bhambri, and Mukund Sasikumar "refused to play for country even though they were participating in other tournaments elsewhere."