Tennis player Sumit Nagal on Saturday became the first Indian to win a min’s singles match at the Olympics Games in 25 years. Only two other Indian tennis players have achieved the feat. Nagal defeated Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin in a grueling three-setter at the Tokyo Olympics. The match, which Nagal won 6-4 6-7 6-4, lasted over two hours and 34 minutes.

The Indian will now face world number two Daniil Medvedev.

The first Indian to ever win a men’s singles tennis match at the Olympics was Zeeshan Ali. At the 1988 Seoul Games, Ali beat Victo Caballero from Paraguay.

After that, the legendary Leander Paes won the historic men’s singles bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Games, beating Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni.

Since Paes achieved the feat, no Indian has been able to win a singles match at the Olympics. Somdev Devvarman and Vishnu Vardhan participated in the 2012 London Olympics, but could not make it past the first-round.

“To lose second set from 5-3 and then comeback in the third set in a weather like this, is not easy. Playing for my country gave me the push. I am not sure what I would have done If I were playing at the Challenger, I came out happy from the court,” Nagal said after the match.

Nagal, who played around 12 noon, said that it was really hard to focus in the hot and humid weather. “It was really hot and humid, weather was terrible. So we were trying to focus on our serves,” he said.

The Indian athlete also added that he is trying to adapt from clay to hard courts.

Nagal now faces a herculean task as he takes on Australian Open runner-up Medvedev, who beat Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bubilk 6-4 7-6(8).

“I am very excited for this match to play the world number two on a big court. That’s why we play tennis for, to live for these moments. I am looking forward to it,” he said.