Jack Sock, a former top-ten and American no.1 tennis player, is one of the few players on the tennis circuit to have succeeded both in singles and doubles. A mixed-doubles and men’s doubles grand slam champion, Jack also holds the distinguished honour of being an Olympic gold medallist.
At his peak, Jack gave nightmares to many top players, doubling down on his adept baseline defence with a strong serve-and-volley tactic. In one of his more hilarious moments on the tennis court, Jack managed to distract a famous player during an intense point, leading to a guffaw-inducing moment.
Jack Sock’s laughter-inducing distraction of Roger Federer
As the Nitto ATP Finals is nearing its 53rd season, tennistv took to Instagram to share a blast from the past, when Jack Sock managed to distract Roger Federer during an intense rally. The year was 2017, and Jack Sock was among the top players plying their trade in the tennis circuit. Participation in the Nitto ATP Finals came with its perks of added ATP points, but also always had the required qualification of being a top-ten player.
In this laugh-out-loud moment, Jack Sock initially gains the upper hand in the rally by forcing Federer wide and back on the baseline. An opportune moment sees Sock race to the net in order to drop the ball on the half-volley. However, it all goes wrong for the American and he only manages to tamely lob the ball up in the air. Even as Sock is hitting the shot, we can see his exasperation with the outcome.
It is then that the rally turns into a funny moment, as Sock, expecting a ferocious smash from Federer, turns his back on the Swiss in order to defend his body from the firing line. This quick gesture distracts Federer and the Swiss slams his forehand return into the net, leading to laughter from the crowd and a puzzled look on Jack Sock’s face.
Not often does a monk-like player such as Federer get distracted on court, but this moment really provided much amusement in the midst of intense tennis.
Sock joins pro-pickleball amidst career transition
As Jack Sock neared the end of 2022, he had re-entered the top-100 in the ATP rankings. However, this was a far-cry from his peak form and gone were those days when he dominated the doubles circuit and reached the business end of single’s grand slams. He played his last match in the 2023 US Open, where partnered Coco Gauff in mixed doubles.
In a transitional move within the sporting world, Jack Sock has joined the Professional Pickleball Association’s PPA Tour. Pickleball is a min-tennis sport that has gained prominence in recent years in the United States. Sock has always loved the sport, often playing it in his downtime from his tennis schedule.
“Maybe when my body’s not cooperating enough for tennis, and I’m getting older, maybe pickleball kind of takes over for me,” he said in May.
“I want to be kind of a bridge between the two sports, and let people know you can go out and enjoy both.”, he added.
Jack Sock will join former tennis player Sam Querry in the PPA tour, and will aim to utilise his tennis skills to dominate the smaller courts of pickleball.
What are your opinions on Jack Sock’s hilarious interaction with Roger Federer? Will the American succeed in pickleball? Let us know in the comments section below.
