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American Jack Sock reflects on his upset over Kei Nishikori in Shanghai
SHANGHAI, China -- Jack Sock earned the first top ten win of his career on Wednesday with a 7-6 (5), 6-4 win over U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the second round of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Sock's victory snapped No. 6 Nishikori's nine-match win streak over the last two weeks, where he won back-to-back titles at the Malaysian Open and Japan Open. Sock, ranked No. 60, came into the match 0-5 against top ten opposition.
"Honestly, you never know when [that big win is] gonna come," Sock said. "You can be feeling good and playing well and the other guy could be playing better that day and that's that. I made a lot of improvements, I have a lot of confidence right now in my game and in my body right now, and I feel like I can compete with a lot of the guys. Today it just went my way."
The match featured just one break point, which also happened to be match point for Sock which he converted for the win. The 22-year old American never faced a break point, serving 72 percent of his first serves in and winning 82 percent of them. Nishikori took a medical timeout during the second set for a hip and back injury, which he says he began to feel last week in Tokyo.
"For sure he served really well," Nishikori said. "I usually able to return and get more chance on my return game. But today I think there was almost no breakpoints for me. Also he gets a lot of balls back. He has great footwork. He has big forehand. He played really good today." Nishikori will return to his training base in Florida to rest and train for the end of the season, where he will play Valencia, Paris Bercy, and if he qualifies, the ATP World Tour Finals.
SI.com sat down with Sock for a chat after his big win:
SI.com: What's the key to your game: your serve or forehand?
Sock: I think both. It's always been serve and forehand usually. I try and one-two punch it as much as I can. I'm feeling like if I'm serving well like today -- I think I was serving at 80 percent in the first set -- I feel like if I'm doing that I can compete with a lot of guys. Obviously in today's game guys are returning really well and getting a lot of balls back. But if I'm serving well to set up my forehand then I'm feeling pretty good.
SI.com: How do you think you've improved from the beginning of this season until now?
Sock: I think experience is a lot of it. Last year was my first full year on tour because in 2012 I was injured for a while. So last year I was new on the scene and played a full schedule and traveled outside the states a lot which was new to me. This year I came into it with a little more experience. A few things have built my confidence up. I moved to Tampa and started training with John [Isner]. The climate there, the structure there has really helped me in a lot of ways. Putting everything into tennis, I think the pieces are starting to fall together for me. Practicing with John every day, he's been top 15 for a while now and has had a great career, can only help me. Hopefully I can help him out too. We have great practices. And our trainer is there and he's really helped change my body in a lot and I feel like I've got in a lot better shape which has helped me compete with these guys.
Serena Williams and Jack Sock to represent U.S. at Hopman Cup
SI.com: Watching your first round win over Bernard Tomic and now Nishikori, it seems like you're playing with more discipline on your forehand side. Maybe not going for as much all the time. Is that a tactical change you're trying out?
Sock: It's more a feeler. Obviously I have a lot of confidence in that wing and a lot of faith in my right arm when it comes to that. I usually feel pretty good when I'm hitting forehands. It just depends on how I'm feeling that day. If I feel like I can really juice it and I can hit it big and I feel like I can spot it well then I'll go after it. But rarely are there that many days that I come out and it doesn't feel that great or I have to lay off of it. It's usually more the serve, whether that's hot or not. But forehand, usually, is green light.
SI.com: Nishikori said he was impressed by your defense today. We usually focus on your offensive weapons. Do you feel like that's an underrated part of your game?
Sock: I don't know if it's underrated or not but I have confidence in my speed and my quickness around the court. I do feel like I can touch a lot of balls and make a guy hit one more ball. I was a smaller kid when I was growing up so I had to learn some defensive skills. I had to grind a little bit and win points by scrapping it out. Obviously as I grew a little more and developed more of an offensive game I didn't use it as much. But I feel I always have it. If I need to I can play defense, I guess.
SI.com: Let's switch subjects away from the match. Do you have a post-loss ritual?
Sock: I usually don't talk very much. I usually just go off by myself and listen to music and just get away from everyone and do my own thing and get in my own bubble.
SI.com: Are you superstitious?
Sock: I am. Eat at the same restaurants, especially if I'm winning. There's some on court stuff I do that's not worth mentioning. Warm-up times, I don't know, it's too complicated. I'm definitely a creature of habit.
SI.com: Does that explain your Chipotle obsession?
The Evolution of Tennis Fashion: Novak Djokovic
2004
Originally clad in Adidas, a skinny 16-year-old Djokovic was swimming in his baggy shirts.
2005
Still baggy.
2005
Giving the classic polo shirt look a try at the U.S. Open.
2005
If only that were actually a hat.
2006
Things were...different in 2006, at the Australian Open.
2006
The clothes were different, but the moves were not.
2006
For a player who is known now for snug-fitting attire, it's easy to forget how billowy it once was, at the French Open.
2006
Before his much ballyhooed switch to Head in 2009, Djokovic was a Wilson guy.
2006
Always the crowd-pleaser, Djokovic threw on a French soccer jersey after winning the title in Metz.
2007
Djokovic wins his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Miami.
2007
When in Monte Carlo, do as the Monte Carlo-ites do.
2007
At least his off-court attire was interesting.
2007
Adidas finally puts Djokovic in something memorable and he has one of the most impressive runs to the title ever, beating the top three seeds in Andy Roddick, Rafa Nadal, and Roger Federer to win Montreal.
2007
A few weeks later he was into his first Slam final at the U.S. Open, where he lost to Roger Federer.
2007
He got his whole box decked out in his kit too. Well, almost his whole box. Hi Maria!
2007
Nole nearly went shirtless at Davis Cup.
2008
This is the season Djokovic's on-court fashion took flight, beginning in Melbourne at the Australian Open.
2008
Djokovic wins his first Australian Open title in blue and black.
2008
It helps when you know your family is behind you.
2008
Djokovic goes grey to win his first Indian Wells title.
2008
The monochrome continued through the French Open.
2008
It wouldn't past muster under Wimbledon's current dress-code, but the baby blue was cool.
2008
Given when his future sponsors would do with his patriotic kits, it's a shame adidas decked him out in boring black and white for the Beijing Olympics.
2008
Djokovic wasn't the only Adidas player who had to wear this terrible kit at the U.S. Open. Which is unfortunate for everyone.
2008
Thankfully, it came in other colorways.
2008
Adidas actually made him a special kit for the World Tour Finals. It was the beginning of many.
2008
Enter the falcon, Adidas attempt to give Djokovic his own "RF" logo.
2009
Djokovic switches from Wilson to Head. And all hell breaks loose.
2009
Djokovic's blue kicks were an all-time favorite...
2009
...The shorts almost falling off? Not so much. Davis Cup will do this to you.
2009
Primary colors have always worked best on Novak, particularly the ones from Serbia's flag.
2009
It looked particularly good against the red clay.
2009
Occasionally these darn things wouldn't stay on.
2009
Back to orange at the U.S. Open.
2009
Djokovic marches into Basel, Switzerland in all black and walks away with the trophy in Federer's home town.
2009
The last Adidas kit Djokovic would wear.
2010
Nole matched the courts in Melbourne and added all-white wristbands.
2010
The ombre, white-to-gray look, mismatched wristbands and white hat looked off on Djokovic.
2010
The Serb looked good in red on the clay in the Davis Cup.
2010
The shiny, golden yellow shirt and black shorts were too much for Rome.
2010
Winged designs on the front and back of the polo at Roland Garros? No.
2010
Adidas redeemed itself with Novak's all-white Wimbledon look.
2010
But the fire-red dragon on the black polo was not a sharp look for the U.S. Open.
2010
Djokovic brought his game and a decent kit to the China Open.
2010
Novak celebrates a victory for Serbia in the Davis Cup final.
2011
He debuted the year with an all-black uniform with a pop of orange.
2011
But we liked the alternate white and blue kit with red accents better.
2011
Djokovic paid a tribute to Japan on his socks at Indian Wells.
2011
And the red, white and blue attire won him an Indian Wells title.
2011
The victories kept coming for Novak in a similar uniform at the Sony Open.
2011
And then he took it off.
2011
The black and orange kit reappears in Madrid.
2011
The rainbow pattern on the front and back of Novak's polo and shorts was too much for Roland Garros.
2011
And the white version didn't look much better.
2011
How can you go wrong with an all-white kit and a title at the All England Club?
2011
Novak channels his inner Maria Sharapova, as the two unveil Head's latest collection in New York. Don't ever go blonde, Nole.
2011
Nole had a customized kit for the U.S. Open.
2012
Ringing in the new year with busy, unflattering designs.
2012
And bubbles? Only in Miami.
2012
Djokovic went for a rare striped top and bottom in Rome.
2012
One of Uniqlo's first kits on Novak was spectacular -- clean, crisp navy with red accents.
2012
Uniqlo takes a try at the white Wimbledon dress code.
2012
The brand hit the mark in this sharp all-blue uniform trimmed with red.
2013
Uniqlo's first fail: Pinstripes.
2013
The slate gray number at Indian Wells was nice, but the silver shoes were not.
2013
It was a nice try.
2013
All white from head to toe, including the cap. We dig it.
2013
Novak can't go wrong with red and black in China.
2014
Uniqlo unveils a new two-toned top for the Australian Open.
2014
And the patterned continued into Monte Carlo.
2014
His play wasn't sharp at this year's U.S. Open, but the uniform was.
2014
Once again in red in Beijing and another strike in the win column for Djokovic.
Sock: Yeah. I'm a massive fan of Chipotle obviously and it started at the Junior U.S. Open when I ate there 18 nights in a row like a weirdo.
SI.com: Do you have the Chipotle card that gives you unlimited Chipotle anytime you want?
Sock: I do! The legendary card that has my name on it.
SI.com: How often do you use it?
Sock: A lot. Four times a week maybe. Take a friend or two and go get Chipotle.
SI.com: They're going to regret giving it to you.
Sock: They might be. Hopefully they don't call me and tell me I'm over my budget.
SI.com: What do you do to keep your mind off tennis?
Sock: I'm a big sports fan. I follow the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals, obviously. Massive fan. Die-hard Nebraska Cornhusker fan. I follow it to a tee. I watch some TV shows on my computer, obviously on the road there's a lot of down time.
so cool being recognized where I grew up. gotta love home sweet home. go royals! @Royals pic.twitter.com/7mlvub3g03
— Jack Sock (@JackSock) September 4, 2014
being recognized in front of a sold out @Huskers crowd - one of the most special moments of my life. pic.twitter.com/Aj9oUJaDRG
— Jack Sock (@JackSock) September 21, 2014
SI.com: How have you been keeping up with the Royals while you've been in Asia?
Sock: I've been streaming the games on my computer. I've been following it very closely.
SI.com: When did you start to think you could make it as a professional tennis player?
Sock: I think it was after junior U.S. Open when I won that tournament. I was planning to go to college for the longest time -- Big Cornhuskers fan so I was planning to go to Nebraska where my brother is and play on the team with him. I had a bunch of friends on the team. I was looking forward to that. Then the U.S. Open title came out of nowhere. I had a wildcard and I played some of the top juniors and was able to get through that. From there it was like, well maybe I go the tennis route now instead of going to college. I'm also someone who likes to finish what I start and I knew if I went to college I would have been there for four years and by that time who knows what the opportunities would be then and where my tennis would be.
SI.com: Was there ever a moment when you thought you made the wrong decision?
Asia Tennis Travels: A fall season travelogue to the Far East
Sock: The first couple of months when you're playing Futures and Challengers and you're losing and your friends are calling you telling you, "Oh man, you're missing out we're having such a good time" and you're like, "I know." But no, obviously I couldn't ask for a better life. I'm very fortunate and very blessed to have this opportunity and can hopefully can ride it for as long as I can.
SI.com: If you could take a selfie with anyone in the world who would it be?
Sock: I love Jimmy Fallon, actually. I watch all his shows I think he's hilarious. Maybe Derek Jeter. He's such a legend.
SI.com: Three items to take with you to a desert island.
Sock: Is the item a person as well?
SI.com: Can be...
Sock: Kendall Jenner, Chipotle and if there's wi-fi, a computer so I can follow along with what's going on in the world.
Contributor, SI.com Nguyen is a freelance writer for SI.com, providing full coverage of professional tennis both on and off the court. Her content has become a must-read for fans and insiders to stay up-to-date with a sport that rarely rests. She has appeared on radio and TV talk shows all over the world and is one of the co-hosts of No Challenges Remaining, a weekly podcast available on iTunes. Nguyen graduated from the University of California, Irvine in 1999 and received a law degree from the University of California, Davis in 2002. She lives in the Bay Area.