Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
India’s tennis campaign at Tokyo Olympics was all but over on Monday when men’s singles player Sumit Nagal was blown away by world number two Daniil Medvedev in straight sets of 6-2, 6-1.
Nagal had faced the Russian after having won his first-round match against Uzbekistan Denis Istomin that earned India’s first men’s singles win at Olympics in 25 years.
Nagal’s exit came after the pair of Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina were knocked out in the first round of women’s doubles by Ukrainian twins Nadiia and Liudmyla Kichenok on Sunday. Sania and Ankita had won the first set by holding their opponents to love and were leading 5-2 in the second set and yet went on to lose the match 6-0, 6-7, (8-10).
Screenshot of mixed double events entry list.
Despite the three being knocked out, new possibilities have emerged on the horizon as Nagal and Mirza have found their names in the entry list of the mixed doubles events of the Tokyo Olympics. Indian tennis fans were up for a surprise when they found both the players’ names in the official entry list on the Olympics website. However, it doesn’t mean that they will be playing in the event.
With the draw yet to be out, The Bridge, got an opportunity to have a chat with Nagal, who said “We are not in the mix, we are alternate as of now and the draw will come out soon.”
As disappointment keeps on adding for India in all quarters of the Games, finding a new avenue in mixed doubles tennis events could be a positive sign, particularly, after the controversy between AITA and Rohan Bopanna, where Sania Mirza had rued on a ‘missed medal chance’.
