Sumit Nagal crashes out of Geneva Open, loses to Sebastian Baez in straight sets

India’s star tennis player Sumit Nagal faced a disappointing start to his Geneva Open campaign, bowing out in the first round after a straight-set defeat against Argentina's Sebastian Baez, on Sunday. The match ended with a scoreline of 7-6, 6-3 in favor of the fifth-seeded Baez.

This tournament marked the first time Nagal received direct entry into the main draw of the Geneva Open, a notable milestone despite the early defeat.

Nagal's struggles on clay courts persisted as he encountered another early exit. The Indian player started strong, matching world ranking 19 Baez's performance and forcing a tie-breaker in the first set. However, Baez's powerful returns proved decisive as he clinched the tie-breaker 9-7. Nagal had a chance to take the first set but squandered a crucial set point with an unforced error.

In the second set, Baez quickly gained the upper hand with an early break. The 23-year-old Argentine maintained his momentum and closed out the match, securing a 7-6, 6-3 victory.