Hangzhou: Indian singles tennis players will return empty-handed from the Asian Games for the first time since 2006 as Sumit Nagal and last edition’s bronze medalist Ankita Raina exited the continental championship after quarter-final defeats, Wednesday in Hangzhou.
Facing top seed and local favorite Zhizhen Zhang, it was always going to be a herculean task for Nagal to get past the world number 60.
To his credit, Nagal took a set against the Chinese before running out of steam, losing 7-6 (3), 1-6, 2-6 in two hours and 16 minutes.
Somdev Devvarman won a gold medal in men’s singles in 2010, then Yuki Bhambri (2014, Incheon) and Prajnesh Gunneswaran (2018, Jakarta and Palembang) each won a bronze medal in the following editions.
At the 2006 Doha Games, Rohan Bopanna and Karan Rastogi could not reach the medal rounds in men’s singles.
Ankita, who had become only the second Indian to win a bronze medal in singles in 2018, fought a tough battle against Japan’s Haruka Raji before losing her quarter-final 6-3, 4-6, 4-6 in a marathon of two hours and 53 minutes. .
Ramkumar Ramanathan and Rutuja Bhosale had exited the singles competition in the third and second rounds respectively.
The Indian challenge is still alive in men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
