Overview

• Nagal fell 4-6, 6-7 (4) to unseeded Geoffrey Blancaneaux in the opening round of the €145,250 ATP Challenger event in Lyon.
• Both players traded multiple service breaks before Blancaneaux prevailed in a second-set tie-breaker.
• Clay-court Challenger events have proven especially tough this season as Nagal has exited in the first round six times.
• After beginning the year inside the world’s top 100, he has slipped to No. 170 in the ATP rankings.
• His recent struggles contrast sharply with his breakthrough as the first Indian man in 35 years to defeat a seeded player at a Grand Slam during the 2024 Australian Open.