Love-15: As 2017 draws to a close, USTA.com is taking a look back at the top 15 storylines, headlines and highlights from the year in American tennis. Up now: American Jack Sock made a stirring run at the Paris Masters, taking the title which qualified him for the ATP Finals, where he reached the semifinals. 

 

Nebraska native Jack Sock had plenty to celebrate in 2017, after he took home the title at the Paris Masters, which subsequently qualified him for the ATP Finals. 

 

In November, Sock captured the biggest title of his career, winning the Paris Masters 1000 with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 victory over surprise finalist Filip Krajinovic. In doing so, he clinched the last spot in the 2017 ATP Finals, reserved for the eight players who have earned the most ATP World Tour ranking points this year, and is the first American to qualify for the ATP Finals since Mardy Fish in 2011. 

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Sock is the first U.S. man to win a Masters 1000 title since Andy Roddick in Miami in 2010 and the first to win in Paris since Andre Agassi in 1999. 

 

The title was the third of the season (alongside Auckland and Delray Beach) for Sock and the fourth of his career (Houston in 2015). 

 

At the ATP Finals held in London, Sock continued his winning streak, making it all the way to semifinals after upsetting world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4. 

 

Sock’s incredible three week run in Paris and London helped launched his rankings. He was world No. 22 when he entered the Paris finals, and after his impressive play in Paris followed by London, he ended the year as world No. 8, the highest ranked American man. 

 

"I'm definitely going to take the experience from the last three weeks,” Sock told atpworldtour.com after his semifinal match at the ATP Finals, “everything I learned, all the things I did well in the matches, things I can improve on and work on in the off-season, and get ready for 2018.”