India's Tennis Campaign Concludes Swiftly at Paris Olympics

India's tennis campaign at the Paris Olympics ended swiftly as Sumit Nagal and the men's doubles team of Rohan Bopanna and N Sriram Balaji were defeated in their opening matches by French opponents on Sunday. Nagal, making his second Olympic appearance, faced Corentin Moutet but lost in three sets. Despite a strong start in the final set, Nagal was unable to maintain his lead, ultimately losing 2-6, 6-4, 5-7.

In the Tokyo Games, Nagal had reached the second round before being defeated by Daniil Medvedev. This time, he struggled to capitalise on his early advantage in the decider against Moutet. The match lasted two hours and 28 minutes at Roland Garros' court seven, with a packed audience witnessing the contest.

Men's Doubles Struggle

Later that day, Bopanna and Balaji faced Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Gael Monfils in the men's doubles. The Indian pair fought hard but eventually lost 5-7, 2-6. Monfils replaced injured Fabien Reboul at the last minute, adding strength to the French team. The match featured intense baseline exchanges, with Bopanna often engaged in long rallies that sidelined Balaji from quick net finishes.

The Indian duo dropped serve first when Bopanna faltered in game six after a prolonged rally ended with an unforced error. Although they managed to break back immediately on Roger-Vasselin’s serve, Balaji struggled to hold serve later. The French team's powerful strokes proved too much for Bopanna and Balaji.

Nagal's Battle with Moutet

Nagal's match against Moutet was a battle of attrition, consistent with their previous encounters. Moutet employed various tactics like underarm serves and drop shots to unsettle Nagal. The crowd's chants of "Coco-Coco" and "Moutet-Moutet" energised the home player. Despite Nagal's efforts to break back in game four of the first set, he couldn't capitalise on four breakpoints.

Moutet took advantage of Nagal's errors to win the opening set. In the second set, Nagal found his rhythm and managed to break Moutet’s serve for the first time when a drop shot hit the net. He consolidated this lead and levelled the match by breaking Moutet again in game eight.

In the deciding set, Nagal led 2-0 but failed to maintain his advantage. He saved one breakpoint but eventually lost his serve due to a drive volley error. Serving at 5-5, Nagal made several forehand errors that gave Moutet three break points. Moutet capitalised on these errors to close out the match.

Historic Context

India has only one Olympic medal in tennis, won by Leander Paes who secured bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games. This context highlights the challenges faced by Indian tennis players on such a significant stage.

Bopanna's participation in this event was likely his last representation of India in a multi-sport event as he has already announced his retirement from Davis Cup. His experience and skill were evident during the match despite the loss.

Nagal had previously defeated Moutet at the Grand Prix Hassan in Marrakech earlier this year. However, he couldn't replicate that success at Roland Garros. The French player's strategic use of high balls and drop shots disrupted Nagal’s game plan effectively.

Moutet will next face either Australian world number six Alex di Minaur or Germany’s Jan-Lenard Struff. This victory adds another chapter to his ongoing rivalry with Nagal, which has seen several closely contested matches.

The Indian team's performance at Paris Olympics underscores both their potential and areas needing improvement for future competitions. The experience gained here will be valuable for upcoming tournaments.