India’s top singles player Sumit Nagal has withdrawn from the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden due to a back injury. The indoor hard-court contest in Stockholm will be played on September 14-15.
Nagal, who reached a career-high ranking of 68 in July, has been struggling with a back issue for the past few weeks. Doctors have advised him to rest for the next two weeks, leaving him without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden.
“I was really looking forward to representing in the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden,” Nagal wrote on social media. “However, due to a back issue that’s been bothering me for the past few weeks, doctors have advised me to rest for the next two weeks, leaving me without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden. This same issue also led to my withdrawal from the US Open doubles.”
Nagal’s absence is a big blow to the Indian team. The 25-year-old is India’s highest-ranked singles player and has been a key member of the team in recent years.
Former national champion Ashutosh Singh has been named as the new coach of the national team. Singh, who has previously coached Yuki Bhambri and Saketh Myneni, will be tasked with guiding India to victory in the Davis Cup tie against Sweden.
India will be hoping to qualify for the Davis Cup Finals for the first time since 2018. The team will need to beat Sweden in the qualifying round in order to reach the Finals, which will be held in Malaga, Spain, from November 21-27.
