Sumit Nagal lost 3-6 6-1 6-3 to Spain's Marc Lopez in a Davis Cup tennis match on Sunday in New Delhi. Although Nagal looked poised to register India's first win in this leg of the tournament, fatigue got the better of him and handed Spain a 4-0 rout of India.
Nagal trailed 3-6 in the first set but finished strongly, pushing his opponent to the flanks with strong forehands returns. The Spaniard was banking on his drop shots and serves, which rattled the Indian in the first set. But the tactic fizzled out as the game progressed.
The 19-year-old took the second set comfortably, winning a series of break points and being adept near the net as well as on the baseline. He took a medical timeout early in the third set but went on to get a 3-0 lead despite exhaustion. Lopez, however, struck back and won six straight points to bag the deciding set 6-3.
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