NEW DELHI: In September 2023, India’s top-ranked tennis participant, Sumit Nagal, confessed in an interview, “If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the beginning of the year. It is 900 euros (approx Rs 80,000).”
As quickly because the assertion went viral, assist began pouring in for the 26-year-old athlete, with Sumit signing a take care of PepsiCo-owned Gatorade and DLTA (Delhi Lawn Tennis Association) releasing a one-time assist of Rs 5 lakh for the Indian tennis participant.
Now that his monetary difficulties are sorted a bit, World No. 170 Sumit is again to his foremost vocation, specializing in his recreation with an purpose for a robust end to the season.
Sumit joined all the way in which from Germany for an unique chat with TimesofIndia.com, speaking concerning the Tennis Premier League (TPL) public sale, the place he grew to become the most costly participant for season 5, about his annual funds, his tennis journey to date and far more. Excerpts:

You are purchased for a whopping Rs 18.5 lakh within the TPL public sale. How do you’re feeling about being the most costly participant for season 5 of the TPL?
It’s a proud feeling to be offered as the most costly participant in India and looking out on the gamers TPL have introduced this 12 months. Ernests Gulbis, Dennis Novak, and Lukas Rosol — they’ve all been prime tons of. I feel they (TPL) have been doing a very good job. They’re doing a implausible job, attempting to make tennis slightly bit extra fashionable in India. So, taking a look at it, it’s most likely the third or second greatest sport on the earth; and India is probably the most populated nation now. And having been offered on the highest value, it’s a good feeling.

How completely different is the league like TPL from the same old ATP tour?
The league (TPL) and the tour are very completely different, I’m certain. It’s a pleasant feeling to play the league in our nation, to signify Gujarat Panthers, however it is extremely completely different from what we do day by day every day (within the tour).
With your monetary difficulties virtually sorted now, what’s your speedy objective?
Right now, my focus is again to enjoying the tennis matches. I stated what I needed to say earlier in September, however now I’m simply preparing for the tournaments once more, and I’ll attempt to end the season sturdy.
Your ideas on the company assist that got here alongside lately and the way a lot it’s a assist?
Every assist you to get from the businesses, it helps a tennis participant from India. I’ll simply discuss tennis gamers from India as a result of we do lack monetary assist. If it’s important to play the vast majority of the time, it’s important to pay in your coaches, your bills, and it comes out lots in tennis since you’re enjoying so many tournaments, out and in so many flights, so many alternative motels. So each time you get assist from somebody, I actually admire it. And it helps out lots in somebody’s profession, who’s attempting to play on the highest stage, flying to America, for instance, to Europe, as much as China. I do know it prices cash on the finish of the 12 months.

Could you inform us extra about your annual funds to outlive on the ATP Tour and the challenges you confronted earlier than receiving this assist?
The factor with tennis is that it’s a humorous sport. You can spend as a lot as you need. Firstly, it’s important to determine what your funds is for a tennis coach. If you’ve got slightly bit further, then you definitely get your health coach concerned. Then when you’ve got slightly bit further, then you definitely get a physio concerned. If you might have slightly bit further, folks journey with docs, I’m simply giving an instance, so all of it is determined by what sort of funds you might have. You can spend as a lot as you need as a result of there are some coaches who’re going to value you, for instance, 2,000 or 3,000 euros every week. And then, there are some coaches who’re going to value you 7,000 euros every week. So all of it is determined by how a lot you possibly can spend.
There are coaches charging over 10,000 euros every week who’re teaching the highest 20 gamers. Their coaches would cost them virtually 300,000 to 400,000 {dollars} a 12 months on a contract. So all of it is determined by who you’re, the place you are residing, and what’s the funds you need to spend. I’ve been spending greater than Rs 1-1.5 crore on a yearly foundation.
How do you view the function of sponsors and company in supporting athletes, particularly throughout difficult occasions like these?
It’s a giant assist after they are available in and attempt to assist us financially. It lets you journey with a tennis coach; it lets you journey with a health coach or a physio. What I actually love to do is to journey with a tennis coach and a physio as a result of I’m a type of guys who need to keep match for the entire 12 months. If I really feel like I can play the entire 12 months, I might be in a great spot within the prime 100. So, that is my private choice. I’m certain that there are individuals who wish to journey with their tennis coach and a health coach. These are a very powerful components. There is teaching, there’s your assist workers; and with the ability to pay for them is a very powerful half.

What are your private targets and expectations for the 2024 tennis season?
First is the month of November that’s coming. I’m making ready for this month. I’m going to play three or 4 tournaments. It will principally be the Challengers. I wish to end as excessive as doable within the rankings. If I can end inside perhaps 110; being within the prime 100 can be the most effective state of affairs. But if I can not and I end in 120, I’ll be in a great spot to start out the subsequent 12 months. My objective is to complete within the prime 100 earlier than April as a result of I’m not defending a lot. For individuals who do not know a lot about tennis, no matter factors we make, it stays for 12 months. I’ll begin defending my factors from April-May onwards. So I’ve this window of the subsequent 5 months, the place no matter I make I’ll preserve the factors. It will profit my rating.
What are the tournaments that you’re wanting ahead to enjoying within the coming months?
In the month of November, I’m going to play a match in Helsinki, then perhaps play in Sweden after which play the final two in Spain. After that, I’ll take a couple of days off, prepare, play the league (TPL), prepare for the pre-season after which begin January in Australia with the match previous to the Australian Open.

Tennis is usually described as a demanding, robust and lonely sport. What are the important thing components that preserve you motivated and pushed to excel on this sport?
I consider doing one thing for myself, for my household. I got here from a really small, humble background. First of all, I do not even come from a sports activities background. I come from a small village, moved to Delhi once I was younger. To be capable to play within the greatest match, to have the ability to play on the largest courtroom, in opposition to Roger (Federer), after which play the Olympics. It already means one thing to me. And each time you obtain these milestones, it motivates you increasingly and extra.
The very first thing that occurs once I name my dad and mom, I can really feel their voices, I can see how emotional they get. For instance, my mother and pa got here to the Davis Cup match in Lucknow. And it was the primary time they’d travelled outdoors Delhi to look at me play. I feel it was the primary time for my mother. And after the match, she bought emotional, she stated, “It felt so nice to watch you play.” You reside for these moments, and that is without doubt one of the causes I preserve pushing myself. Look for these moments that make your life higher or assist you to.
As a job mannequin for aspiring athletes in India, what message do you might have for the subsequent era of tennis gamers within the nation?
For tennis gamers, I’d say don’t be afraid of shedding, lots of people have this worry like I do not need to lose. At the top of the day, no one desires to lose, however on the finish of the day, there might be a winner and a loser, which is okay. Sometimes you are going to lose. Even the most effective gamers can’t win all of the matches, however you play to enhance, particularly at a younger age. You need to play to enhance and never fear about shedding.
While enjoying within the franchise league, do you’re feeling the identical stress as enjoying for particular person glory or title? How do you put together your self mentally that it’s a group recreation and never a person match?
The stress is unquestionably completely different if you play the Davis Cup or if you play the Asian Games and Olympics. When these come at you, you can not run away from it; it’s important to face it. How I deal is, once I step on the courtroom, the primary few video games are essential as a result of that is when you’re probably the most nervous. Once you get into the match and as soon as your physique is transferring, you begin to really feel higher and higher. So, how do I do it? I attempt to transfer further within the first few video games, and I attempt to make the rallies longer in order that I’ve inside balls to hit, inside balls on my racket. And I’m transferring greater than often I’d. So the nervousness goes out of my physique.

When you have been enjoying in opposition to Roger Federer (within the 2019 US Open), what was going by way of your thoughts?
I imply there’s a whole lot of emotions — good, nervousness. After successful the primary set…I knew there have been two extra to go. So my very first thing was to take a seat down, calm myself, and attempt to focus, preserve this going. So I do not suppose I used to be considering outdoors the field. My foremost concern was how I ought to begin the second set. I wanted to take the lead, which clearly did not occur. I ended up shedding the second and third set. I felt slightly bit unhappy about not breaking him within the final recreation he served 0-40. That’s once I felt like I began to play slightly bit higher and higher. I used to be getting higher with the coach, with the surroundings, and with the gang, understanding him how he performed.
Other than that, speaking about qualifying for the primary time after which enjoying Roger, I imply that’s the finest feeling, to play in opposition to him within the US Open. I do not suppose I may have requested for extra as a result of that is what I wished. When I certified on Friday, I hoped that I’d play Roger as a result of, as I stated, this may be a dream come true.
Watch I have been spending Rs 1-1.5 crore annually, says Sumit Nagal