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3 Months After Serena Williams’ Move in a Tribute to Michael Jordan, $19 Billion Worth Brand Rushes to the Rescue of Struggling ATP Star

Published 09/22/2023, 8:25 AM EDT

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Being a tennis player can be both overwhelming and difficult at the same time. The amount of effort one puts in is immense. However, despite the toil, there are moments when things don’t go in the exact direction as a player thinks. The same has been the case with Sumit Nagal, the number 1 Indian tennis player. Despite being the best in his nation, the world 159th-ranked ATP player has struggled to make an impact on the global stage. In a recent interview, he shared how his financial situation has turned into dire straits despite putting in his all..

Responding to this, just 3 months after collaborating with Serena Williams, a $19 billion brand has come forward to aid the rising Indian star. This news comes as a huge sign of relief for the player. What exactly went down?

$19 billion brand comes to the aid of number 1. Indian tennis player

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India’s top tennis player, Sumit Nagal, who had openly shared his financial struggles in an interview with the PTI, quickly garnered attention and empathy from all quarters. But in a recent turn of events, Nagal found a response from PepsiCo, who pledged a three-year support commitment to the young tennis sensation. The tremendous support from the renowned beverage giant, Gatorade’s $19 billion brand, PepsiCo comes just three months after their mega collaboration with tennis legend Serena Williams.

Gatorade has extended a generous hand to assist the financially-beleaguered athlete. “If I look at my bank balance, I have what I had at the start of the year: 900 euros. I am investing whatever I am making. I did get a bit of help, I get a monthly salary from IOCL, but I don’t have any big sponsor… I don’t have anything in savings. I am just breaking even”, says India’s no. 1.

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Sumit Nagal’s journey, now buoyed by Gatorade’s support, will hope for a twist, as the Indian player would look to turn things around with the additional help. That being said, Gatorade’s parent company PepsiCo has always been present when it comes to supporting new talent or recognizing the greats of the game. Just recently, Gatorade, in collaboration with Serena Williams, paid tribute to one of the legends of basketball, Michael Jordan.

Serena Williams joins hands with PepsiCo. to pay homage to Michael Jordan

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Celebrating a lucrative career that saw him multiple accolades, Serena Williams, in collaboration with Gatorade paid tribute to NBA great Michael Jordan. In the video posted on Serena’s Instagram handle, Michael Jordan made a small appearance holding the bottle of Gatorade, showing how every great career had a small start.

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The post was captioned, “Whatever you do, make it great @gatorade,” which signified the efforts that players and individuals put in to reach the top of their game. Thus, the small act of kindness from PepsiCo. was a symbol of appreciating the hard work that players put in. Despite going down, there’s always a chance to bounce back up. For Nagal, too, the tennis world hopes that things will be no different.

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian shows off customized $10 Billion Worth Michael Jordan Brand’s Surprise

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Written by:

Akshat Gaur

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Akshat Gaur is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and has been writing since then. With over two years of experience in the world of sports journalism, specifically tennis journalism, Akshat is someone who is immensely passionate about covering the ATP and the WTA Tour.
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Edited by:

Mitali Dey