In a swift turn of events, India's top-ranked male tennis player, Sumit Nagal, has been granted a Chinese visa, resolving an initial denial that threatened his participation in the upcoming Australian Open wild-card playoff tournament in Chengdu. The tournament is scheduled to begin on November 24.
Nagal, ranked 290th in the world, had previously taken to social media to appeal to the Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, and the Chinese Embassy after his visa was rejected without an explanation. In a post on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Nagal expressed his urgent need for assistance, stating, "I am supposed to fly to China soon to represent India at the Australian Open playoff, but my visa was rejected without reason. Your urgent help would be much appreciated".
Late Thursday, Nagal posted another social media update expressing gratitude to the Chinese Ambassador, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, and others for their swift intervention in securing his visa. "A big thank you . . . for their prompt help in helping me secure the visa in time," Nagal stated. Nagal did not elaborate on the reasons for the initial visa rejection.
The Australian Open's Asia-Pacific wild-card playoff, set to take place from November 24-29 at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre, is a significant event offering a pathway to the main draw of the prestigious Grand Slam. The playoff features a 16-player men's and women's singles event, along with 12 teams in both men's and women's doubles. The 2026 Australian Open is scheduled to begin on January 18 in Melbourne.
Nagal, currently 28 years old, has been a member of India's Davis Cup team since 2018. His career highlights include taking the first set against Roger Federer in a U.S. Open match in 2019, although Federer ultimately won the match. Nagal reached a career-high singles ranking of 68 in July 2024. In January, he lost in the first round of the Australian Open and was unable to qualify for the French Open and Wimbledon. He won the 2015 Wimbledon boys' doubles title with Vietnam's Ly Hoang Nam, becoming the sixth Indian player to win a junior Grand Slam title.
The resolution of Nagal's visa issue comes at a time when relations between India and China have shown signs of improvement. Direct flights between some cities had recently been planned to resume after a five-year suspension.
