Sumit Nagal receives main draw wildcard for Dubai Championship

New Delhi: India No. 1 Sumit Nagal has received a main draw wildcard for the ATP 500 Dubai Championships, set to be held from February 26 to March 2.

Nagal will lock horns with world number 49 Lorenzo Sonego in the opening round clash, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter on the hard courts of Dubai.

Nagal's journey to the Dubai courts is nothing short of remarkable, marked by a historic season that has seen him break into the top 100 rankings and deliver a stellar performance at the Australian Open.

After winning his fifth Challenger championship of the year in Chennai this month, the 26-year-old Nagal, who is presently ranked 101, made his debut in the Top 100.

Nagal beat 31-seed Kazakh Alexander Bublik in the first round of the Australian Open main tournament earlier this year. He defeated a seeded player at a Slam, making history as the first Indian man to do it in thirty-five years.

Earlier, the tournament extended wildcards to India's Women's No.1, Ankita Raina, and doubles specialists Ankita and Prarthana Thombare in the WTA 1000 event.

Reflecting on the tournament's rich history of supporting Indian players, memories of past encounters resurface, including the unforgettable moment when Somdev Devvarman took on the legendary Roger Federer as a wildcard entrant in 2011.