New Delhi: India’s top tennis singles player, Sumit Nagal, finds himself in some trouble as his Chinese Visa was rejected without providing any valid reason. Nagal is set to compete in the Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off, a qualifying event for the 2026 Australian Open. The tournament will see the top players from the Asia Pacific region compete for the Australian Open main draw wild card.
The news was confirmed by Sumit Nagal on X, where he requested the Chinese Ambassador to India and the Chinese Embassy in India for immediate intervention. The tournament will be played from November 24 to 29, 2025, in Chengdu (China).
Nagal has been a standout performer for India in the last two seasons, breaking into the top 100. Currently ranked 275, Nagal reached a career best of 68 last year. He enjoyed a great run at the Australian Open 2024 and picked up a huge win over Alexander Bubik in the first round. The same year, he went on to become the first Indian to pick up a win at a Masters 1000 event on clay, beating Matteo Arnaldi at the Monte Carlo Masters.
If Nagal misses out on the tournament, it will be a massive setback to him as he looks to build on the momentum he gained in the last two years. So far, there has been no public statement from the Chinese Embassy in India, the All India Tennis Association, or Tennis Australia, but the Indian fans have started amplifying the issue on social media.
