Why Indian player Sumit Nagal will leave the Australian Open 13x richer after just one round

Despite the defeat in the 2nd round, Indian tennis player Sumit Nagal has become a legend at the Australian Open having after winning first round of the tournament against the Kazakh Alexander Bublik. But what's so extraordinary about a first-round win?

The extraordinary victory over Alexander Bublik not only earned the player – currently ranked 137th in the ATP ranking – a prize of $180,000 AUD (around $118,000 US, £93,000) but also saw him become the first Indian tennis player in history to defeat a seeded player in a Grand Slam tournament since 1989. But it's not just that...

A few months ago, in September 2023, Sumit Nagal gave an interview to the Times of India, bringing to light a shocking truth: that not being in the top 100 players in the world makes it difficult to get ahead with the earnings of the sport.

"If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the beginning of the year, around 900 euros ($970 US, £770, $1500 AUD) I have received help. I receive assistance from a tennis foundation and I also receive a monthly salary from IOCL, a fuel company, but I don't have any big sponsors."

Compare them to top tennis players' earnings, including Novak Djokovic, who won $3 million just at the US Open in 2023. This victory helped make him the highest-earning player in tennis during that period, according to frontofficesports.com.

The Indian tennis player told Press Trust of India in 2023 that he had to spend everything he earned: "I invest everything I earn. The annual cost of traveling with a coach is around 8-10 million rupees ($97,000 -122,000 US) and this is only with a traveling coach (without physiotherapist). Everything I have earned I have already invested," according to ubitennis.net.

Also according to the aforementioned website, after learning of the Indian tennis player's difficulties, a major company decided to offer him its support.

This is Gatorade, the famous sports drink belonging to PepsiCo. Additionally, through this collaboration, Nagal has access to specialized support provided by experts at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI).

“I am deeply moved and grateful to join Gatorade. This sponsorship comes at a pivotal time for me, and I am grateful that my hard work and passion are recognized and appreciated,” Nagal said.

Despite dropping out of the Australian Open, Sumit Nagal can finally say goodbye to his financial worries, at least for now...