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Bengaluru's Tennis Triumph: How Nagal and Shrivalli Led Eagles to Dominant Win

The AOS Eagles secured a convincing 22-12 victory over the VB Realty Hawks in the World Tennis League. Sumit Nagal set the tone with a powerful 6-1 win against Denis Shapovalov in the men's singles. Shrivalli Bhamidipaty was the standout performer, winning both her singles and doubles matches impressively. This win puts the Eagles at the top of the table and into Saturday's final.

Key Points: Sumit Nagal Shrivalli Bhamidipaty Lead AOS Eagles WTL Victory

  • Sumit Nagal dominated Denis Shapovalov 6-1 in a commanding men's singles performance
  • Shrivalli Bhamidipaty shined, beating teen Maaya 6-2 and winning two matches
  • The Eagles' 22-12 win puts them firmly in the WTL final with 65 league points
  • Paula Badosa praised Shrivalli's aggressive game and serve after their doubles victory
2 min read

World Tennis League: Nagal, Shrivalli lead AOS Eagles to dominant win

Sumit Nagal and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty starred as AOS Eagles beat VB Realty Hawks 22-12, securing their spot in the World Tennis League final.

"India you have a future star here. She carried the team today. - Paula Badosa on Shrivalli Bhamidipaty"

Bengaluru, Dec 19

Home favourites Sumit Nagal, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi stole the show on the third day of the World Tennis League at the SM Krishna Stadium, Bengaluru.

The AOS Eagles defeated VB Realty Hawks 22-12 in the first match of the day to extend their lead at the top. They finished the league stage of WTL with 65 points from three matches and have one foot into Saturday’s final.

It was tennis’ power couple, Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina, who opened the show on Friday. However, this time, Monfils and Svitolina stood at the opposite sides of the court in the mixed doubles contest. In an entertaining contest, Svitolina and Yuki Bhambri, playing for the Hawks, edged Monfils-Shrivalli 6-4.

But India’s leading singles player, Nagal, grounded the Hawks with a dominant performance in the men’s singles. The 28-year-old came out swinging against former Wimbledon finalist Denis Shapovalov, winning 6-1 to hand his team the momentum.

While Shrivalli cheered her team on from the dug-out on the first two days, she stepped into the spotlight effortlessly. After a competent performance in the mixed doubles, the 24-year-old locked horns against teen sensation Maaya, who trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy. Shrivalli quickly found her range, and wowed the Bengaluru crowd with her clean hitting as she beat the 16-year-old 6-2.

Shrivalli then teamed up with Paula Badosa to beat the Svitolina-Maaya combine 6-3. It was Svitolina’s first defeat of WTL 2025.

After the match, Badosa was all praise for her young partner.

“India you have a future star here,” Badosa, a semi-finalist at this year’s Australian Open, told the crowd. “She carried the team today. Since the first day I hit with her, I have been impressed with her serve and aggressive game.”

The WTL is a one-of-its kind mixed-team tennis tournament, where top players get to compete at a high level but without the pressure of a tour event. This year, four franchises competed for the trophy. After a round-robin stage, where each team faced the other in a quick four-set format, the top two advanced to the final.

Results:

AOS Eagles 22-12 VB Realty Hawks

•Yuki Bhambri-Elina Svitolina (Hawks) bt Gael Monfils-Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (Eagles) 6-4

•Sumit Nagal (Eagles) bt Denis Shapovalov (Hawks) 6-1

•Shrivalli Bhamidipaty (Eagles) bt Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi (Hawks) 6-2

•Shrivalli Bhamidipaty-Paula Badosa bt Maaya Rajeswaran Revathi-Elina Svitolina 6-3

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
So proud of Shrivalli! Stepping up after cheering from the dugout and winning both her matches. Badosa's praise says it all. The future of Indian women's tennis looks bright with her and Maaya, even though Maaya lost today.
D
David E
As a tennis fan visiting Bangalore, the atmosphere was electric! The format is fun and fast-paced. Nagal's win was the highlight for me. Hope the WTL comes back next year.
R
Rohit P
Excellent win, but a small critique. The article focuses a lot on the Eagles. Would have liked more on how Yuki Bhambri played in the mixed doubles win for the Hawks. He's a solid doubles player for India.
S
Shreya B
Maaya is only 16 and training at the Nadal Academy! She lost today, but what an experience to play against top players like Svitolina and Badosa in this format. This league is perfect for our young talent to gain confidence. Jai Ho! 🇮🇳
M
Michael C
Monfils and Svitolina on opposite sides must have been fun to watch. Great concept for a tournament. Kudos to the organizers for bringing this to India. The Eagles look unstoppable for the final.

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