Sumit Nagal, the Indian tennis star, has made it to the main draw of the BNP Paribas Open as a fortunate participant after Rafael Nadal, the Spanish superstar, decided not to play due to his lack of readiness at the highest level. Despite losing in the second round of the qualifying tournament, Nagal was given a golden opportunity as he was the highest ranked player in that draw. Currently ranked 101st in the ATP rankings, he was entitled to advance in case of a last-minute withdrawal from the main draw.
On Friday, Nagal will face off against Milos Raonic from Canada, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2016 and is currently playing on protected rankings. Players who have been injured for at least six months can apply for a protected ranking, which is an average of their ranking during the first three months of their injury.