Indian tennis player Prajnesh Gunneswaran overcame a sluggish start to advance to the second round of the French Open men’s singles qualifying event but country’s top player Sumit Nagal bowed out after a close defeat in Paris on Monday.
Seeded 16th in the qualifying draw Nagal — who became the first Indian in seven years to win a singles match at a Grand Slam with his opening round victory at the US Open this year — lost 6-7 (4) 5-7 to Germany’’s seasoned player Dustin Brown in one hour and 47 minutes.
Nagal had his chances in the second set as he was leading 3-0 but Brown did not let him continue with the momentum.
Prajnesh, India’s second-highest ranked singles player, got the better of Turkey’s Cem Ilkel 6-3 6-1 after losing his service early in his opening qualifier.
Prajnesh, who had got a direct entry into Roland Garros last year but lost in the first…