India No.1 Sumit Nagal apologizes to local Portuguese crowd for post-match gesture: ‘Wasn’t the right way to respond’

NEW DELHI: Indian tennis No.1 Sumit Nagal has apologized to the crowd in Maia, Portugal and local player Henrique Rocha for a “talking gesture” after his first-round victory at the Maia ATP Challenger, saying it was an immediate reaction.Nagal, who prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5) in a grueling two-hour and 56-minute bout, addressed the incident in an Instagram post. Rocha served twice for the match before the Indian fought back to secure the win.“I want to apologize to the Maia crowd for the gesture I made after the match. It was an immediate reaction and not the right way to respond,” Nagal wrote.“I respect everyone who came to watch and I appreciate you being there. I also spoke to Henrique and apologized to him personally.The apology came after a fierce encounter in which Rocha, who won the title in Porto just eight days earlier, was looking to build on his recent form and pick up valuable ranking points in a bid to break into the top 100.Nagal’s response acknowledged the importance of respect for both the opponent and the home crowd, even in the emotional aftermath of a close match.

A disappointing Asian game for the Indians

The incident came amid a challenging period for Indian tennis. At the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan, Nagal was the last player from the country to compete for a medal.India’s campaign ended without a medal after he lost 4-6, 4-6 to China’s Yibing Wu in the men’s singles quarter-finals.The result marked India’s first medal-less tennis campaign at the Asian Games since 1986, ending a streak of podium finishes at every edition since 1990.India’s doubles combinations also fell short and the country’s medal hopes vanished after a series of quarter-final exits.India entered the continental competition aiming to win more medals, but the disappointing result has raised questions about the depth of its current player base and preparations for future international events.