Melbourne
Indian tennis star Sumit Nagal will play against Lithuania’s Ricardas Berankis in the first round of the Australian Open. Nagit (Sumit Nagal) was expected to take on a top-10 player in the opening match, but now he will now have to face Ricardas Berankis as per the draw that came out on Friday.

This will be Nagal’s second clash in the second week against the world number 72 player. He lost to the Lithuanian player earlier this week in a tournament organized for the Australian Open preparations.

Read, Australian Open: Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka in the same half of the draw

If Nagal crosses the first-round hurdle, the wild carded Indian will face 19th seed Russian Karen Khachanov or local wild card holder Alexander Vukich. Nagal, the world number 139, will compete in the Grand Slam men’s singles for the third time.

Nagal has previously played in the US Open twice (2019, 2020). However Ankita Raina could not make it to the cut of the women’s singles. In the men’s doubles, Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan will play with their partners.