India's top singles player Sumit Nagal on Monday (September 2, 2024) pulled out of the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden due to a back injury.
Nagal recently lost his first round singles contest to Tallon Griekspoor at the U.S. Open.
The indoor hard-court contest in Stockholm will be played on September 14-15. Reserve player Aryan Shah has been drafted into the main team after Nagal's withdrawal while Manas Dhamne has been put on standby.
"I was really looking forward to representing in the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Sweden," Nagal wrote on social media.
"However, due to a back issue that's been bothering me for the past few weeks, doctors have advised me to rest for the next two weeks, leaving me without enough time to prepare and compete in Sweden. This same issue also led to my withdrawal from the US Open doubles "I'm deeply disappointed to be missing this tie, but I have to listen to my body to prevent the back from worsening, so that I can finish the season strong and healthy. Good luck to the Indian team - I'll be cheering for you all from home!" he added.
Nagal reached a career-high ranking of 68 in July but has dropped to 82 in the latest rankings. India's highest-ranked singles player not being part of the Davis Cup tie is a big blow to the team.
Former national champion Ashutosh Singh has been named as new coach of the national team.
