The draw for Tennis at the Paris Olympics came out earlier today (July 25), and it hasn’t been kind to Indian players. Sumit Nagal, India’s only singles player, had drawn hometown hero Corentin Moutet in the first round. Ranked 12 spots higher than him, it won’t be easy for Nagal to battle not only Moutet but also the French crowd at Roland Garros.
Similar to Nagal, India’s only doubles pair, Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji, has also drawn French opponents. Fabien Reboul and Édouard Roger-Vasselin are ranked 31st and 11th in the world, respectively, and are coming off a final run at the Hamburg Open, where the Indian duo lost in the first round.
Tough road for Paris Olympics medal
If Sumit Nagal makes it to the second round, he’ll face off against 5th seed Alex De Minaur, who’s one of the most in-form players at the moment. However, getting past Moutet won’t be easy. The Frenchman is a nifty player who likes to slice and drop-shot his way out of trouble. He also revels when the crowd supports him, and one thing is sure: the French support will give him all the energy he needs.
As for Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji, they’ll meet second seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Pütz in the second round. The German pair beat Bopanna and Balaji’s first-round opponents in Hamburg to lift the title. Their half doesn’t get easy either, as they’ll have to fend off the 4th and 5th seeds as well to get a chance at winning a medal.
Men’s singles and doubles at the Paris 2024 Olympics will start on July 27, with all the matches being at the French Open, the venue for the second Slam of the year.
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