Miami Open: Halep loses on return, Nagal crashes out in Qualifiers

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Former World No.1 Simona Halep did not make a delightful return to the court after she crashed out of the Miami Open 2024. On Tuesday, March 19, Halep lost 6-1, 4-6, 3-6 to Spain’s Paula Badosa in the opening round of the women’s singles.

Halep was stupendous in the first set where she put her Spanish opponent under immense pressure. But Badosa was equal to the task as she made an incredible comeback.

Halep converted 80 percent of her break point chances (4 out of 5). However, 10 double faults led to her downfall. Badosa has a tough task in hand as she will next be up against 2-time Grand Slam champion Aryna Sabalenka in the second round.

As far as Halep is concerned, she returned to playing the game after her 4-year doping ban was recently reduced to nine months. Although she lost to Badosa, Halep was elated on getting to play her favourite game again.

Taking to Instagram, she wrote, “Today will always feel like a victory.”

Sumit Nagal goes down fighting
India’s Sumit Nagal also failed to go through to the main draw after losing to Hong Kong’s Chak Lam Coleman Wong in the second and final round of the qualifying stage.

After dominating in the opening set, Nagal, who broke into the top 100 earlier, couldn’t hold on to his momentum. He lost the match 6-3, 1-6, 5-7. He broke his opponent’s serve 1 time, while Wong managed 3 breaks of serve.

The 26-year-old Nagal was also undone by the 16 aces that Wong produced. The Indian, on the other hand, produced only 1 of them.

Wong was tentative with his second serves as he won 38 percent of points from them and made 5 double faults. But he outplayed his opponent in every other aspect.

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