Australian Open: Sumi Nagal's Gritty Run Halted By Juncheng Shang; Rohan Bopanna-Matthew Ebden Pair Advances

Chinese tennis prodigy Juncheng Shang blunted Sumit Nagal's challenge at the Australian Open to halt the Indian's impressive run at the first major of the season on Thursday. Coming into the match after an inspiring win over a top-30 player, Nagal began in the same dominating fashion but the 18-year-old wild card entrant got better as the game progressed to walk out a winner with a 2-6 6-3 7-5 6-4 scoreline. The second round contest lasted two hours and 50 minutes and it was clear that Nagal had run out of steam in the fourth set. In contrast, Shang began to serve well from the third set onwards and was at ease in pocketing his service games despite being troubled by high backhand balls in the match.

Nevertheless, the 26-year-old Nagal, who hails from Jhajjar in Haryana, will exit the Melbourne Park with cherishable memories, having made the main draw through the Qualifiers and scripting a win over world number 27 Alexander Bublik.

Nagal will take home AUD 180,000 (nearly 98 lakh) for his effort. The money should take care of most of his 2024 Tour budget.

Nagal got the Chinese engaged in baseline fight from the beginning and drew the first blood in the very first game of the match.

It was a passing forehand winner from Nagal that helped set up the first break point and then a lucky net chord handed him his second chance which he converted with the Chinese making a backhand error.

Shang tried hard to get the break back by raising the intensity and power in his strokes but Nagal was ready to fight fire with fire and succeeded in opening up a 3-1 lead with consecutive holds.

The Chinese found himself in a spot of bother again when he was down 0-30 in game five but pulled himself out of the hole by serving well.

A forehand