Wild Card Jack Sock, took his first singles USTA Pro Circuit title today at The Ravenswood Wine Amelia Island Futures Championships by defeating the tournament’s No. 2 seed, Artem Sitak 7-6(5), 1-6, 6-3.
En route to his first singles Futures final, Sock dropped only eight games among the three matches he played. In his first match of the tournament against Roy Kalmanovich, Sock took the first set 7-6(5) before Kalmanovich retired at the start of the second set.
Sock took the first set tie-breaker in the finals match with his most preferred shot, a fierce forehand crosscourt winner. In the second set, Sitak broke Sock in both the second and sixth game giving him a 5–1 lead. Sitak closed out the second set with a winning Ace.
Serving for the final set, Sock was broken by Sitak in his first service game. Sock then immediately broke back. At 1-all, Sitak again broke Sock’s service and again Sock broke Sitak’s serve moving the score to 2-all. In the fifth game, Sock pulls ahead by holding serve. Sock saw the match opening up when in the sixth game, Sock broke Sitak’s serve and then again held his serve with a lead of 5-2. Sitak held in the eighth game. Serving his third deuce at 5-3, Sock makes his final advantage-in point with a return volley winner to finish off his first singles title.
At the conclusion of the 1-hour, 16-minute singles match, Sock said, “I’ve trained really hard with fitness and weights to able to stay in matches longer. I feel great, but I am a little tired.”
Sock also stated, “I will be back next year to defend my title!”
The inaugural Ravenswood Wine Amelia Island Futures Championships is the third of three $10,000 clay court Futures events that round out the 2009 Pro Circuit men’s season. Amelia Island is one of eight men’s Futures events held in Florida during the 2009 calendar, the most of any state.