Video: Different Side of Sock

News

Scores

Rankings

Lucky Letcord Podcast

Shop

Pro Gear

Pickleball

Gear Sale

Popular This Week

Love Match: Madison Keys Marries Bjorn Fratangelo

WTA Awards Nominees for 2024

ITF President Haggerty: Davis Cup Won't Return to Be...

ATP Award Nominees Announced for 2024

Sinner's Extraordinary 2024, By the Numbers

Bob Bryan on U.S. Davis Cup Doubles Decision

Rafa Nadal Defines Legacy in Three Words

Jack Sock is trying to show a different side of himself these days.

The 37th-ranked American's menacing serve and massive forehand form the foundation of his game, but the backhand has played a supporting role in Sock's trip to the Washington, D.C. quarterfinals.

Video: Cilic, Nishikori Continue U.S. Open Quest with D.C. Wins

In tennis, you're only as strong as your weakest link. Sock surprised Richard Gasquet cracking successive strikes off his weaker wing—the two-handed backhand—to save a pair of break points down 2-4 in the second set.

That backhand stand sparked Sock to a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-4 comeback win over the 13th-ranked Frenchman sending him into the quarterfinals against compatriot Steve Johnson.

"My most improved shot, my backhand, helped me out there when I was down those two break points and I was able to turn it around," Sock said afterward. "It's a side people thought they could just go to and hurt me with and obviously now I think I'm showing that's not the case any more."

Sock still runs around his backhand to unleash his twisting topspin forehand he can use to command the center of the court. His inside-out forehand will always be his signature shot. In his zeal to run around the backhand, Sock wound up firing a few forehands from the doubles alley, but says stabilizing his backhand is a matter of trust.

"I think it's more just trust, honestly," Sock said. A lot of people have always talked about my serve and forehand, those are my strengths that I have. I run around a lot of backhands still, but when it comes to that side, I might have been a little tentative before but now I'm trusting it more and really going after it."

It will be a battle of forehands when Sock and Johnson square off though managing the backhand will be important for both. Johnson tends to place the slice backhand more, while Sock can struggle to create the sharp angle crosscourt from his two-hander.

Sock and Johnson square off in the first all-American DC quarterfinal since 2003 when Andre Agassi played James Blake and Andy Roddick took on Mardy Fish in a pair of quarterfinals.

"I think we're both playing pretty well right now. Especially on a surface, like this, in the U.S. we're both playng here," Sock said. "It should be a fun match. I'm just happy, honestly, that we've got some Americans advancing. It should be a good battle."

Posted: