‘I’m carried out enjoying the sufferer’: Sumit Nagal reveals ‘change’ in mindset after tough 2026

India’s top-ranked singles participant Sumit Nagal has had a tough 2026 season, with accidents disrupting his progress and pushing him right down to No. 247 within the rankings. But the 29-year-old says he has modified his mindset and is now centered extra on having fun with tennis than continuously worrying about outcomes.Nagal began the 12 months with a hip damage picked up throughout a Challenger occasion in Thailand. He returned early for India’s Davis Cup tie in opposition to the Netherlands in Bengaluru as a result of he wished to signify the nation.“I began the 12 months with an damage, then performed Davis Cup (in Bengaluru). I used to be at all times working behind time. I got here in early to play as a result of it was Davis Cup and Team India,” Nagal advised PTI.“If it wasn’t for the Davis Cup, I’d have taken the entire month off.”He later developed a wrist downside and mentioned he didn’t really feel absolutely match till May.“I used to be ready the place I wasn’t wholesome, however I used to be enjoying. And then March, once more, I began feeling one thing in my wrist. So I did not really feel good until I’d say May.”

Nagal adjustments his method

Despite the setbacks, Nagal received a Challenger title in Romania and reached one other semifinal in Czechia. He believes his recreation has improved in current months.“The final two, three months have been higher evaluating to the primary half of the 12 months. And now I simply should construct on it,” he mentioned.His US Open qualifying marketing campaign ended with a 3-6, 6-7(4) loss to France’s Arthur Gea. Nagal, nonetheless, felt the shut match confirmed he can nonetheless compete at a excessive degree.“My final match within the US Open was just a little bit unlucky. I had a number of break factors and the man ended up making the fourth spherical. So I really feel prefer it’s there, it is simply I must work onerous for it to go in my favour,” he mentioned.The fixed cycle of enjoying and recovering additionally affected him mentally.“It’s not so enjoyable, as a result of whenever you play for 2 months and you then’re out for 2 months and also you play for 2 months, I do not assume it is a lot enjoyable. But I’m carried out enjoying the sufferer. I take it as what it’s, how it’s, and I attempt to take pleasure in day by day.Before the US Open, Nagal realised he wanted to cease placing all his concentrate on profitable.“I realised that I must be extra completely satisfied. Very easy, truly. And not focus an excessive amount of about profitable, profitable, profitable, profitable. Because I used to be doing that and it wasn’t actually working for me.”A loss to Jan Kumsat in Prague helped him attain that realisation.“I misplaced a match in Prague and I used to be driving again. And that is once I realised, I mentioned, man, like that is simply not enjoyable. I’m not going to outlive like this if I hold placing stress on myself that each match I step on, I must win, win, win,” Nagal mentioned.“I used to be simply burning an excessive amount of vitality all through the match and all through the times.”

‘The focus proper now’s to compete’

Nagal has additionally put his fast purpose of returning to the highest 100 apart.“You at all times wish to play the Slams. You wish to be high 50, high 30. But I would not say that is my focus proper now. The focus proper now’s to compete, man,” he mentioned.Earlier within the season, he usually struggled to keep up his degree all through matches.“For a variety of weeks, I used to be enjoying two good units and never the third set. That’s very fundamental. Or I used to be enjoying one good set and never a very good second set as a result of I used to be simply enjoying the sufferer factor and saying, ‘Oh, this isn’t working for myself. This is just not working. This is in opposition to me. Everything was in opposition to me’,” he mentioned.“And like this, no matter, you may have any targets. But like this, you are not going to achieve wherever.”Nagal can be keen to assist youthful Indian gamers however doesn’t wish to drive himself right into a management function.“I’m at all times open for them. I information them if one thing is required. But additionally, I do not wish to be in there, to illustrate, as a management function when it is not requested,” he mentioned.“At the tip of the day, it is nonetheless a group sport. It should not be one man main the group. Of course, my assistance is there. I’ve at all times mentioned it. I at all times need Indian tennis to do properly. Never a query.”