By Joe McDonald | Monday, August 27, 2018
Jack Sock snapped an eight-match losing streak, winning his first major match of the year and first US Open triumph in two years.
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Masters
NEW YORK—Jack Sock came to New York to shrug King Kong off his shoulders.
It’s been a rough year for Sock.
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After finishing 2017 ranked No. 8 in the world, the explosive American concedes he stunk up the joint the past nine months.
If he wasn’t out in the first round, he was knocked out in the second.
Hard luck and injury defined Sock's season as he limped into Flushing Meadows with just five wins to his credit.
Today, the No. 18-seeded Sock finally got the monkey off his back.
Sock stopped Argentinian Guido Andreozzi, 6-0, 7-6 (4) 6-2, for his first Grand Slam singles win of the season.
It was Sock's first US Open win since he toppled 2014 champion Marin Cilic to reach the 2016 round of 16.
“You guys follow tennis throughout the year, so you know it's been a tough road for a little bit here," Sock said. "A little bit for nine months.
“Yeah, it hasn't been my best result, but that's why you have a good team, good family, good support system around you, kept me positive. Obviously doubles has kept me in some tournaments, gave me confidence. Gave me confidence and motivation just to be on court in general."
Sock, who partnered Mike Bryan to win his second Wimbledon doubles crown last month, even gave a little shimmie of his shoulders to shrug the monkey as massive as King Kong off his back.
“Felt like King Kong was on my back there for a while,” Sock said. "It was nice to just get it off. Now I can play free.”
It’s not easy being in a slump and this year looked lost for the 25 year-old with the flame-thrower forehand.
After his surge to the semifinals of the ATP Finals in London last November, Sock was expected to break out and become the lead American.
Instead, he took a few steps back. It wasn’t just hard luck and hard draws. He injured himself in practice at Wimbledon, which hurt his hard court season this summer.
“I actually fell on my hip practicing with Andy Murray in London after Wimbledon,” he said. “Landed on my hip actually real bad. Was not able to walk for a few days.”
But you know what? If losing builds character, then Sock has a lot of it.
“I'm going to be honest with you guys: it's tough,” Sock said. “And it's already a long year. Incredibly tough sport, traveling all the time, you know, away from family, friends, a lot.
“So when things aren't going well, it honestly feels more like the end of the world than giving an appreciation. But, yeah, I have had a lot of things happen in my life. I have had my brother [illness], you know, a lot of things, a lot of unfortunate things, and that gives you the appreciation of it. And then, yeah, when things aren't going well, you can kind of sit back and say, you know, life is still very good and go out and just enjoy playing."
Like today and maybe, with the monkey off his back, he will be able to continue to enjoy tennis this week.
Next up for Sock is a second-round meeting with either Aljaz Bedene or Nikoloz Basilashvili.