US Open: Sumit Nagal qualifies for main draw, to face Roger Federer in 1st round

Sumit Nagal has become the youngest Indian in 25 years to qualify for the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament. Nagal, on Friday, beat Joao Menezes of Brazil in New York and is all set to face Switzerland's tennis great Roger Federer in the first round of the US Open.

The match is scheduled to be played on Tuesday morning at 6:30 AM IST.

Nagal - who is currently placed 190th in the World Rankings - beat Menezes in a three-set thriller beating the Brazilian 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. 

The Indian, who was down 1-4 in the second set, made a comeback to seal a place in the US Open main draw. This will be Nagal's first-ever appearance in a Grand Slam.

The tennis player had earlier won the 2015 Wimbledon Boys' Doubles title.

So there will be 2 Indian players in main draw of Men's Singles: Prajnesh Gunneswaran & Sumit Nagal.
Last time when it happened was way back in 1998 when Paes & Bhupathi were in Singles main draw of Wimbledon. https://t.co/zbuXDegNaa

— India_AllSports (@India_AllSports) August 24, 2019

He will join Prajnesh Gunneswaran and is now only the second Indian to take part in men's singles event this year in US Open. This is the first time since 1998 when two Indians are participating in the men's singles event. In 1998 Wimbledon, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi took part in the singles category.

Gunneswaran has been pitted against fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev, who recently clinched the Cincinnati Masters. Their clash is scheduled at 10 PM IST on Monday night.