I have done whatever I could to make a comeback, says Sumit Nagal

To have your best singles player under a fitness cloud ahead of a crucial Davis Cup tie is never the ideal preparation.

India captain Rohit Rajpal would have been experiencing this tension ever since Sumit Nagal retired from his second-round match at the Nonthaburi Challenger near Bangkok in Thailand little over three weeks ago.

However, at the S.M. Krishna Tennis Stadium here on Thursday, Nagal expressed happiness that his comeback was on track, with the Davis Cup qualifier against the Netherlands starting on Saturday.

“I am feeling better day by day,” Nagal said after practice.

“For me, the camp started right after Bangkok. I have been working a lot in the last two-three weeks. I don’t have any complaints. I have done whatever I could to get ready.”

The 28-year-old admitted that there were fears that the muscle tear in his hip could force him out for much longer.

“You don’t know how you are going to recover,” Nagal elaborated.

“Every day you wake up, you don’t know if you are going to be sore or how much load you can take. The thoughts were there throughout the three weeks. Even yesterday, even today. The first match [after injury] is always like this. But, you name it, I have done it.”

The congenial team atmosphere a Davis Cup fixture offers should help calm his nerves and energise him.

“The environment is lovely,” the World No. 281 said. “We joke around a lot and we make rookies do a lot of stupid things. Wherever I see my Indian mates, I am with them.

“It is tough at Slams because our schedules are different, the site is so big and everybody is spread out.

“But whenever we get a chance, we are always doing things together.”