Sumit Nagal (AP photo)
India’s campaign ended without a medal after he lost 4-6, 4-6 to China’s Yibing Wu in the men’s singles quarterfinals.
Nagal, who prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5) in a gruelling two-hour-and-56-minute contest, addressed the incident in a post on Instagram. “To the crowd in Maia, I want to apologise for the talking gesture I made after the match. It was a heat-of-the-moment reaction, and it wasn’t the right way to respond,” Nagal wrote. Nagal’s response acknowledged the importance of respecting both the opponent and the home crowd, even in the emotional aftermath of a closely fought match.
Rocha had served for the match twice before the Indian fought back to secure the win.
1 tennis player Sumit Nagal has apologised to the crowd in Maia, Portugal, and local player Henrique Rocha for making a “talking gesture” after his first-round victory at the Maia ATP Challenger, saying it was a heat-of-the-moment reaction. NEW DELHI: India’s No. The incident comes amid a challenging period for Indian tennis. At the recently concluded Asian Games in Japan, Nagal was the country’s last player in contention for a medal. India had entered the continental competition targeting multiple medals, but the disappointing outcome raised questions about the depth of its current player pool and preparations for future international events.