By BD Narayankar
Bengaluru, Jan 7 (.) A single disputed call, a silent protest, and a tie-break that slipped through tired fingers defined Sumit Nagal’s narrow defeat as France’s Harold Mayot scraped through a pulsating three-set battle to reach the Bengaluru Open quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The match tilted dramatically in the deciding tie-break when Mayot protested a crucial return from Nagal, insisting it had landed well outside the regulation line. He walked up to the chair umpire and even gestured towards dignitaries courtside, stressing how decisive the point was in a breaker that could determine the contest.
The interruption froze a moment already heavy with tension and underlined how slender the margins were in a match spiralling towards chaos.
At the other end, Nagal stood on the brink. Leading the tie-break 6-3, the Indian showed visible signs of fatigue, briefly resting his hands on his knees as the physical toll of the contest caught up with him.
On match point, he registered quiet disappointment when he believed a ball had landed outside the baseline.
Unlike Mayot, Nagal chose restraint over reaction, sitting on the baseline in silent protest, his body language speaking louder than words. Some in the stands whispered that he may have misjudged Mayot’s return, adding another layer of drama to an already combustible decider.
Nevertheless, Nagal’s fighting spirit shone through the final set. He won 74 percent of points on his first serve and an impressive 40 percent on second-serve returns, combining aggression with sharp court awareness. His forays to the net paid dividends, winning 57 percent of points, while 17 winners kept Mayot under sustained pressure.
The Indian also saved his lone break point of the set, displaying resilience in the clutch moments, even as 18 unforced errors reflected the risks he was forced to take in a high-octane battle.
Mayot had set the tone early, clinching the opening set 7-6 in a tie-break built on flawless second serves. He converted half his break points, saved three of four, and relied on tactical intelligence to blunt Nagal’s power.
Hampered by a lingering wrist problem that has limited his double-handed backhand for weeks, the Frenchman leaned heavily on his slice and court craft to stay afloat.
Nagal responded with authority in the second set, racing to a 6-1 win. His aggressive returns and precise shot-making overwhelmed Mayot, as he converted 67 percent of his break-point chances and dictated rallies, pushing the Frenchman deep behind the baseline.
The final set echoed the opener in intensity and uncertainty. Both players refused to yield ground, but Mayot’s consistency on second serve and timely net approaches proved decisive. Saving his only break point, he forced another tie-break and edged it 7-6, holding his nerve when the contest teetered on the edge.
Mayot’s composure stood out amid adversity. Managing pain and movement restrictions, he adapted relentlessly, using angles and variation to offset physical limitations. Even the partisan Bengaluru crowd failed to distract him, as he treated the atmosphere as fuel rather than pressure, later praising the venue, hospitality and warmth of the fans.
In the end, it was a match shaped by controversy, courage and cruelly fine margins. Nagal’s resolve, aggression and tactical clarity kept the contest on a knife-edge until the final moments, but Mayot’s calm under pressure and ability to navigate chaos carried him through.
The night will be remembered not just for who won, but for how fiercely it was fought and how dramatically it turned.
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