Sumit Nagal is set to spearhead the Indian contingent at the Bengaluru Open, an ATP Challenger 125 event scheduled to take place from January 5 to 11, 2026. This 10th edition of the Bengaluru Open marks a significant upgrade, having been elevated from an ATP Challenger 100 to a Challenger 125 event in 2025.

Nagal, currently ranked 273rd, enters the tournament as the 10th highest-ranked player in the field. The top seed is Pedro Martinez, a Spanish player who once held a ranking as high as 36th earlier in the year but has since dropped to 93rd.

The Bengaluru Open, a flagship event on the ATP Challenger Tour, has grown in prominence as one of India's most important international tennis competitions. The upgrade to a Challenger 125 event has resulted in an increased total prize pool of over USD 225,000, attracting top-tier players from around the globe and solidifying its place on the global tennis calendar.

Several other notable players are expected to participate, including Great Britain's Dan Evans, South Africa's Lloyd Harris, Croatia's Borna Gojo, and India's own Aryan Shah. Evans is a former top-25 player, while Harris reached No. 31 in the world and was a US Open quarterfinalist in 2021. Gojo was a Davis Cup winner in 2021. Shah enters the competition with a ranking of 399.

The Bengaluru Open has a history of showcasing Indian talent, with Sumit Nagal himself having won the title in 2017 and Prajnesh Gunneswaran triumphing in 2018. In the 2024 edition, Nagal reached the semi-finals, demonstrating his strong affinity for the tournament and the Bengaluru courts.

The tournament is held at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium and is the fourth leg of an early-season Indian hard-court swing. Despite its elevated status, the Bengaluru Open has a surprisingly low cut-off for main draw entry, with the last man in being Austria's Neil Oberleitner, ranked World No. 442.

Nagal's participation in the Bengaluru Open follows a strong showing in the 2024 edition, where he defeated Adam Walton in the quarter-finals to secure his eighth consecutive win in straight sets. He has expressed his satisfaction with his performance and his ability to dictate points during matches.

As the 10th edition of the Bengaluru Open approaches, Sumit Nagal will aim to capitalize on his past success and home advantage to lead the Indian charge against a strong international field.