Was this the long-awaited singles breakout by Sock?

[scoop]

By Scoop Malinowski

For years now Jack Sock has thrilled tennis observers with his firepower, potential and special capacity to play his best tennis in some of the biggest events like Wimbledon, US Open and the Olympics.

Sock’s signature performances all were achieved in the doubles arena – but that all changed today when Sock won the prestigious Paris Indoors Masters 1000 title 67 64 61 vs Filip Krajinovic.

Suddenly Sock has vaulted up the rankings from 22 all the way to 8, and into the ATP World Tour Finals next week in London.

Sock winning a Masters 1000 title is a monumental achievement. Keep in mind Yevgeny Kafelnikov, winner of two majors, an Olypmic singles gold medal and Davis Cup, never won a Masters Series title in his illustrious career.

It took a long while but finally the 25-year-old Sock appears to have matured, developed and figured out the ATP World Tour puzzle pieces and how they fit together to capture significant singles titles.

The big forehand, serve, variety, drop shots, backhand slices, net rushes and point construction are all working in unison and when they are Sock has the arsenal to slay dragons, any dragons out there.

There has been major hints in recent months of a balance of power shift in the ATP, with the elite pantheon aging and showing signs of decline – and plenty of younger, heavily armed revolutionaries ready to seize power in the ATP top ten.

Sock is in prime position to continue a massive assault and charge up the rankings to the top five in 2018 – or perhaps even next week in London if he can string together a few wins which would vault him further up the rankings above and beyond 8.

There has been a lot of doubts, a lot of criticism and skepticism about Sock’s potential as a singles player but all of that cynicism has been completely silenced today.

Winning his first Grand Slam singles title in 2018 just became a very achievable goal for Sock and you better believe every man in the ATP top hundred now views Sock as a serious Grand Slam singles title contender.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

It's been said "love has no fear" and Sock is looking fearless now. Sock has matured and gained experience but maybe just maybe this new wonder girl has been the missing ingredient. She deserves a lot of credit for whatever she is doing and how she is inspiring him, maybe more so than Berger.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

He could win London for sure. Nobody seems to be as inspired as Sock right now who is mightily motivated to keep impressing and exciting his new love. I would guess most of the other eight players are not as inspired right now as Sock.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

I really believe the love connection with Micala Burns is the missing element. Now Sock has that extra incentive, extra motivation, extra inspiration. To show his sweetheart that he is The Man. If you look at the instagram tha Duke shared, it's quite clear Sock is smitten. And when you bring your girl to a tennis match you do not want to lose. Apparently, this young lady was a freshman at Florida Atlantic Univ last year so I presume she has dropped out of school to join her new beau. Sock is not going to waste time with ordinary results. Sock is going to go on rampage now, like King Kong trying to impress Fay Wray in the jungle, book it. Two majors for Sock in '18!!

 

[Front242]

Bandwagon much? With Murray and Djokovic back shortly and the others also improving the only major I see for him next year is major disappointment. If Sock wins 2 majors or even 1 (neither of which will happen) next year, I'll gladly quit my job, sell my house, car and everything else I own. But it won't happen. He got lucky this week with no Federer, no Nadal, no Djokovic and no Murray and that's all there is to it. He seized the opportunity and good for him.

 

[El Dude]

Off the top of my head, here are a list of players that I see as more likely to win a Slam next year:

Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Wawrinka, Zverev, Cilic, Thiem, Del Potro, Kyrgios, Raonic, Nishikori, Dimitrov, Tsonga

I suppose the last three or four are similar, but that's 9-14 players that I think have at least as good a chance as Sock.

I'd put Sock in a group with Goffin, Carreno Busta, Pouille, maybe Tsonga at this point, as super long shots to win a Slam. In truth, the only way any of these guys win--aside from if Tsonga has the tournament of his life--is if they face a similar player across the net, and both had some luck avoiding top players through walkover or some such.

 

[mrzz]

the only major I see for him next year is major disappointment.

hahahahaha, too good! I completely understand the folks who hate you, Front!!!

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine; I saw the video of that draw ceremony with the models and it gets an A for creativity but a C for campyness At least it's good to see tennis trying to things and breaking traditions which is rare for tennis.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude; How many players would you have listed as more likely to win Paris Indoors last week? About fourteen? See? You can't play that game. Tennis is unpredictable sometimes, draws don't play out by the book or seed designations. Sock has proven time again he has the power and the special factor that he can shock and awe the tennis world. I see no reason why he can't do it again next year in a major or two or three.

 

[britbox]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

El Dude; How many players would you have listed as more likely to win Paris Indoors last week? About fourteen? See? You can't play that game. Tennis is unpredictable sometimes, draws don't play out by the book or seed designations. Sock has proven time again he has the power and the special factor that he can shock and awe the tennis world. I see no reason why he can't do it again next year in a major or two or three.

Sock's got no chance of winning a major Scoop. "Sock has proven time again he has the power and the special factor that he can shock and awe the tennis world"

Really? He's a decent top end journeyman and I don't mean that disrespectfully - he took the opportunity when it presented itself... against a guy outside the Top 30 in a weak field over the 3 set format. Let's put things in perspective.

 

[Federberg]

hahahahaha, too good! I completely understand the folks who hate you, Front!!!

But he's so on point though! Can't believe this is even being discussed, we're not even talking about someone at a Petr Korda type level

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Britbox: US Open mixed doubles title. Wimbledon doubles title. Olympic silver medal in doubles. Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles. Paris Masters 1000 title in singles. Multiple Masters 1000 doubles title. "Top end journeymen"? Sock is inching closer and closer to Hall of Fame career. Yes I believe he has the potential to win a major singles title or two or three. The best is yet to come with Sock.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Catherine; if there's any blame it's maybe the campy behavior of the models. They were really hamming it up and maybe that explains some of the players looking a bit awkward and stunned. Looked like some of those girls were drunk.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Shapovalov may be being overexposed. Which makes him a bigger target with a bigger X on his back. Forging an ATP career at such a young age is hard enough because no one will give him any free sets or points. Everyone is extra motivated to put the whippersnapper in his proper place which is low down the rankings. We are seeing some bad losses lately by Denis to veteran and journeymen level players. I'm very curious to see how he performs in Milan.

 

[britbox]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Britbox: US Open mixed doubles title. Wimbledon doubles title. Olympic silver medal in doubles. Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles. Paris Masters 1000 title in singles. Multiple Masters 1000 doubles title. "Top end journeymen"? Sock is inching closer and closer to Hall of Fame career. Yes I believe he has the potential to win a major singles title or two or three. The best is yet to come with Sock.

Sock is nowhere near a hall of fame career.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

britbox; I just voted on the 2018 Newport Hall of Fame election and nominated and on the ballot were the following players: Anders Jarryd, Michael Stich, Helena Sukova, Pat Cash and Tom Okker. Do you Sock's (incomplete) career far less or in the range of Jarryd's career? Jarryd won 8 singles titles and 88 Grand Slam doubles titles and was no. 1 in doubles in 1985 and he won 59 doubles titles. Sock is arguably the best doubles player in the world now and he has another ten years to add to his already impressive list of achievements.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Hartt; The draw ceremony is attracting a lot of media attention to this inaugural event which is a very good thing. Now if a stripper runs across the court at the event, the press attention will be even greater. We should all hope this innovative new event will succeed and just accept the creative ways they are marketing and promoting it, instead of complaining about superficial trifles.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

I think Sock can do it. Who expected Isner to stay in the 10-20 range for eight years in row?

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Mary Pierce is conspicuously absent from the ballot and it's an injustice for yet another year. I like the NEXTGEN finals concept for several reasons. It gives the young players a special stage to shine and gauge their progress against each other. It also is an opportunity to earn cash, which most of the young players fresh out of juniors are struggling to earn after investing a fortune in the very costly junior career expenses. Plus this event will crown a new King in a sense, the King of under 21 players. I wish they had one of these events back around 1990 when Agassi Chang Pete and Andre were blossoming.

 

[Federberg]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Britbox: US Open mixed doubles title. Wimbledon doubles title. Olympic silver medal in doubles. Olympic gold medal in mixed doubles. Paris Masters 1000 title in singles. Multiple Masters 1000 doubles title. "Top end journeymen"? Sock is inching closer and closer to Hall of Fame career. Yes I believe he has the potential to win a major singles title or two or three. The best is yet to come with Sock.

Sorry... are you talking about a HoF career or winning a slam. There's a chasm between the two achievements. As you've pointed out you could get into the HoF on doubles alone. But what does that have to do with winning a slam? What does winning Paris Bercy have anything to do with winning slams? It's the trash can of Masters Series titles