By Chris Oddo | Saturday November 4, 2017
Jack Sock closed in on his first Masters 1000 title--and a berth at the ATP World Tour Finals--with a win over Julien Benneteau in Paris.
Photo Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty
A compelling and at times downright shocking week at the Paris Masters in Bercy has led us to one of the more unlikely Masters 1000 finals in recent history.
More: Krajinovic Stuns Isner and Reaches Paris Final
Jack Sock ended the dream run of 35-year-old Frenchman Julien Benneteau to move one win from his first career Masters 1000 title as well as qualification for next week’s ATP World Tour Finals in London.
Sock needs only to win Sunday’s final against surprise qualifier Filip Krajinovic to book the final spot for London, and if he continues to display the form that landed him in the final, he’ll likely do it.
Sock put forth a mature, dominant effort on Saturday, using his giant topspin forehand to great effect against Benneteau. After a slow start that saw the players trade breaks twice in the first six game, Sock never looked back and took advantage of an emotionally fatigued Benneteau, silencing the crowd and notching a 7-5, 6-2 victory.
Sock won all 16 points on serve in the final set and converted two breaks on five opportunities to suck the life out of a Benneteau run that had been so vibrant all week.
Playing in his final Paris Masters, Benneteau reeled off four big wins, including back-to-back Top 10 wins over David Goffin and Marin Cilic, which marked the first time in his career that he had ever achieved the feat.
But Sock was too strong for Benneteau on this day. From 3-3 in the opening set he took control and continued to hammer Benneteau into his backhand corner with repeated success.
Sock who has reached career-high rankings six times this season, was nearly out of Paris in his first match. He had to rally from 5-1 down in set three against Kyle Edmund before beating No.17-seeded Lucas Pouille and Fernando Verdasco in his next two matches.
Sock would climb into the Top 10 with a win in Sunday’s final, and he’d also become the highest-ranked American.
The American was one of many players with slim hopes to qualify for London when the week began. But one by one they have fallen by the wayside. Juan Martin del Potro fell to John Isner on Friday at the last hurdle. Then Isner fell to unheralded Krajinovic earlier Saturday. Sam Querrey, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Kevin Anderson also had hopes.
If Sock wins, he will displace Pablo Carreno Busta in the eight-player field.