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Nagal was first to take court, but his strong baseline game didn’t seem to be enough against mercurial Corentin Moutet, who earned a stylish three-set win.
In his second appearance at the Olympic Games, Nagal bounced back after losing the first set but fell 2-6 6-4 5-7 in two hours and 28 minutes at a packed court seven at the Roland Garros.
In the Tokyo Games, Nagal had lost in the second round to Russian Daniil Medvedev but could not make the most of a manageable opener today. He was up 2-0 in the decider with an early break but allowed Moutet to claw his way back and win.
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India have won only one Olympic medal in tennis, when Leander Paes bagged a bronze in the 1996 Atlanata Games.
Monfils’ big-hitting helped the home team that was egged on by the partisan crowd.
It was probably the last time Bopanna represented India in a multi-sport event. The 44-year-old has already announced his retirement from Davis Cup.
The doubles match featured several fiery baseline exchanges between Bopanna and both the French players.
The French ploy of engaging Bopanna in long rallies from the back took Balaji out of the picture on many points, and it largely denied the debutant opportunity of a quick finish at the net.
The Indians dropped serve first when Bopanna went down 0-40 in game six following a long rally that ended with Indian team’s unforced error.
Bopanna and Balaji though got the break back in the next game on Roger-Vasselin’s serve. Down by a breakpoint, Monfils could not put away a volley.
The match was back on serve. Eventually, Balaji came out to serve at 5-6 to stay in the set. Feeling the nerves, he struggled to put first serves in and committed a double fault to get to 15-30. A long rally ensued, which ended in home team’s favour. At second set point, Bopanna netted a backhand volley.
Balaji could not hold serve in the second set, as Bopanna too stuggled to cope with the powerful strokes of the French players.
The match ended with Indian team’s unforced error.
It has always been a battle of attrition between Nagal and Moutet with three of their last four outings being three-set affairs and it was no different today.
Nagal had got the better of Moutet in their last meeting in Grand Prix of Hassan in the Moroccan city of Marakkech in April this year.
Nagal didn’t seem to have a plan B but Moutet had a few tricks in his bag to unsettle his rival. He served underarm a number of times and used the drop shots, the forehand slice and the backhand slice very effectively.
The chants of Coco-Coco, Aaale-Aaale and Moutet-Moutet certainly gave the home player the energy required in such a slugfest.
Nagal had a nervy start with a boisterous crowd behind Moutet. A drop volley error at 30-all put him down by a break point. Another unforced error cost him the opening game.
The French player began with an underarm serve, much to the amusement of the home fans. He, however, ended up serving a double fault. It was an easy hold for the southpaw even as Nagal also bounced back with a hold at love.
Nagal said he was expecting underarm serves from him but obviously didn’t appreciate that.
Moutet struggled a bit with his first serve but fed Nagal a lot of high balls and attacked his backhand more to build on the break.
Nagal had his chances to get the break back in game four but squandered four breakpoints.
He was down by another break point in game five but saved and held when Moutet just missed the line with his return. The crowd favourite again amused the gathered supporters at court seven as he crossed over the court to check the spot if the ball landed inside the line.
It was crucial for Nagal to hold serve after falling behind 2-4 but he erred on overhead volley at breakpoint.
Moutet pocketed the opening set when Nagal’a forehand return soared over the baseline.
The second set was not a one-way traffic with Nagal finding his rhythm. The free points were not given. The set remained in serve till game five.
After playing two deuce points, Moutet again served underarm, and this time he got the point as Nagal netted the return. Nagal was furious but the crowd loved the moment.
Nagal finally had his first break of the match when Moutet’s dropped shot crashed into the net.
Before that on the second break point, when he netted the return, Nagal had banged his racquet on the court, letting go of the frustration. However, he gathered himself with the crucial break. The crowd stood and began singing the national anthem to egg on their favourite.
Nagal though, consolidated the lead with a hold and levelled the match by breaking his rival in game eight when Moutet netted a volley return.
The French player yet again resorted to giving high balls and drop shots to Nagal to break the momentum, and almost succeeded, but Nagal too stuck to his guns, avoiding an early break.
He then broke Moutet when he double faulted while facing his fourth break point.
Leading 2-0 in the decider, Nagal had a perfect opportunity to run away with the match but found himself down 0-40. He saved the first breakpoint but a drive volley error from him meant that the set was back on serve.
Serving at 5-5, Nagal began by netting a forehand, and Moutet found a stunning forehand slice passing-winner on the run.
Another forehand error put Nagal down by three break points. He lost fourth point in a row when he could not pick up a half volley. It was not difficult from there for Moutet to close the match.
He will play either Australian world number six Alex di Minaur or Germany’s Jan-Lenard Struff next.