2021 US Open Series Interview: Jack Sock

Jack Sock opened up the 2021 US Open Series with a strong showing at the Hall of Fame Open in Newport, where he reached the singles quarterfinals and won the doubles title with recent North Carolina graduate Will Blumberg. Playing in his first ATP event of 2021, Sock defeated No. 3 seed Yoshihito Nishioka in Rhode Island before dropping a three-setter to eventual champ Kevin Anderson in the last eight. 

After tearing two ligaments in his right thumb in early 2019, the Nebraska native dropped out of the ATP rankings for a four-month period from 2019-20. Now living outside of Charlotte, the 28-year-old is just outside the Top 200 as his comeback begins to gain steam. His December wedding helped give him a new perspective both on and off the court, and he won his first singles title since 2017 at the Little Rock Challenger on the USTA Pro Circuit in June.

Ahead of the Truist Atlanta Open—the second stop on the 2021 US Open Series—USTA.com caught up with former singles world No. 8 to discuss his recent resurgence. He opens his Atlanta Open singles campaign against Ricardas Berankis on Tuesday night, and is teaming up with good friend Nick Kyrgios for doubles.

Read on for more from Sock, who's also a three-time men's doubles Grand Slam champion and a two-time Olympic medalist in mixed (gold) and men's (bronze) doubles.

Q. Looking back on your success this summer, in Newport and with the Challenger title in Little Rock... what has helped you get back to winning ways of late? Is there anything in particular that you've been working on? Has your mindset changed at all?

Jack Sock: I'm always working on things, for sure. Bogie [Alex Bogomolov Jr.], my coach, we're always tweaking things, trying to improve, trying to get better all the time—as everyone is, I assume. I think I'm in a much different place mentally, a much different place in my life. My mindset is way better than it was, even when I was playing really well.

At this point in my life, I'm playing for more. I'm married now and have my family, I have in-laws. I'm playing for a lot more than just myself. I feel happier. When I go out there and play, I feel less stressed. I feel like I can go out and I'm playing for something bigger than myself. So it's a new feeling, but I enjoy it.

Q. You went all the way at Newport in doubles with Will Blumberg, who just wrapped up an amazing career at UNC. How did that partnership come about?

Jack Sock: We started talking a few years ago, playing Fortnight. And then, he's a UNC Chapel Hill guy, and we live with just outside Charlotte now. So we just kept in touch. We play golf a lot. We've become good, close friends, and I always told him whenever he finally leaves Chapel Hill and turns pro, then we'll play doubles as soon as we can. To take a title the first week was pretty cool.

Q. Now you've got another exciting partnership with Nick Kyrgios in Atlanta, after you guys accepted a wild card. How are you feeling about teaming up with Nick, and what do you think your chances are for lifting another title this week?

Jack Sock: Every time we play together, win or lose, we have a great time out there. I think we're probably two of the bigger personalities in tennis on the court, and we show it at times. We like to engage with the crowd and have fun, keep it light out there.

If we're playing on the weekend, that would be awesome. If not, I think it'll still be a great time to get back out there. It's been a while. I haven't seen him since COVID started last March or February. So it's a good reunion and going to be a fun week for sure.

Q. As far as singles, after your Newport quarterfinal match with Kevin Anderson, he said that he felt that you were playing much better than what your ranking says. How much you do you agree with that?

Jack Sock: Well, thanks to him for that. I appreciate that. Yeah, not in an arrogant way by any means, but yeah, I think I'm definitely playing better than No. 200 in the world. So I just try to keep putting my best stuff out there at court and keep moving my ranking up and get back to where I think I can be and belong.

Q. How much of a difference do you feel now that you’re playing in front of fans again this summer? It must have been nice to have the support of all the American fans in such a lively atmosphere in Newport. How did that compare to the scene in Little Rock, where there was a smaller crowd?

Jack Sock: Little Rock was my first experience with any fans since COVID started it, and I think that played a part in me playing well and feeding off the crowd. I think anybody that's followed me knows I like playing in front of people. I like the energy and support and everything. It's awesome. That was definitely an exciting week just to get back to playing in front of people.

Newport had incredible crowds and just to be able to sign autographs and take pictures and all that stuff again, it felt great. And I love engaging with fans and trying to put a smile on people's faces if I can. I think that always feeds into playing good tennis, as well.

Q. You've been in the U.S. for a while now as you've been building your ranking up, not too much international travel of late. I know you would have liked to be playing some of the ATP events and the Grand Slams over in Europe, but I'm sure in a certain way, it's kind of nice to be stateside for so long. How have you taken advantage of that? What's been good for you about being in the U.S. and competing and training close to home?

Jack Sock: Yeah, I definitely love the stage. I love home. I'm a proud American, I would say, so it’s definitely nice to be home. Obviously last year was crazy timing with COVID, because we were planning the wedding all year and everything. In that sense, for my personal life, it was great because I was able to plan the wedding, get married and spend the energy and time doing all that, and enjoying it without being stressed, having to go in and out of tournaments and kind of squeezing in the schedule. For my personal life, it was it was nice to be able to focus on those things.

Q. And now being in Atlanta, this will be your seventh year playing this event. What do you like about the Atlanta Open that keeps you coming back?

Jack Sock: I love the atmosphere of everything. I have a bunch of family around the area and they always come out. When my grandma and grandpa were still alive, they would always come out. I've got amazing memories here. [Tournament director] Eddie [Gonzalez] gave me a wild card when I was very young [in 2012] and this was my first event after I turned pro. So it's always been a special place for me, for sure.

Q. Looking ahead to the rest of the US Open Series and ultimately the US Open, do you have any specific goals in mind for the hard-court swing?

Jack Sock: I'm just happy to be back on the court and I'm super grateful and thankful to these tournaments that are helping me with wild cards so far and giving me the opportunity to play. So I'm going to do my best to take advantage of them and win as many matches as possible. But just trying to, every week, keep my ranking up and keep trying to get myself back established.