China has denied me a visa, says tennis player Sumit Nagal

Top tennis player Sumit Nagal said China had denied him a visa weeks before he was due to appear at an Australian Open qualifying tournament in southwestern Sichuan.

“I was supposed to fly to China soon to represent India in the Australian Open Playoff. But my visa was rejected without any reason,” Nagal said in a post on social media platform X on Monday (Nov 11, 2025).

Nagal, 28, is ranked 275 in the world. He represented India at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, reaching a career-high ranking of 68th in 2024.

He lost in the first round of the Australian Open earlier this year and in the second round in 2024 in his two previous main draw appearances at Melbourne Park.

The week-long Australian Open Asia-Pacific Wildcard Play-off starts on November 24. The winners will gain entry to the opening Grand Slam of 2026 in Melbourne.

The tournament said that “players should contact the Chinese consulate for information regarding… visa requirements” and that they could request an invitation letter.

The tournament did not respond AFP‘s requests for comment.

AFP has asked Nagal’s agent and the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment.