Jack Sock Reaches Final in His Debut Pickleball Event

| by Alfredo Bassanelli

Jack Sock is enjoying his pickleball debut and there has been really a lot to enjoy for the former Top 10 player on the ATP Tour.

It all started with a singles competition for the 30-year-old American, who hinted at a tennis retirement after his last match. In his singles pickleball debut at the North Carolina Open in Charlotte, Sock managed to reach the quarterfinals.

In the first two rounds, he defeated Anton Gudz and Naveen Beasly, before eventually losing to Jake Kusminder in the quarterfinals of the men's singles competition. However, for Sock it has been a great competition and he hinted that it was just a preparation for what's yet to come.

“I had decent expectations coming in. I wanted to get comfortable before I teamed up with Anna Leigh. I’m happy I got some matches in and will feel better going into tomorrow." 

Sock Impresses With Quarterfinal Run on Pickleball Debut
Sock Impresses With Quarterfinal Run on Pickleball Debut

In the mixed doubles, Sock teamed up with the highest-ranked woman on the Professional Pickleball Association Tour at the moment, Anna Leigh Waters. In the first round, the sixth-seeded duo took on Jillian Braverman and Jake Kusminder, who beat Sock in singles.

However, this time it was an easy win for Sock and Waters, winning 11-3, 11-6. In the second round, they took on the 22nd-seeded team Milan Rane and Rafa Hewett. Once again, it was an easy win for the sixth seeds, triumphing 11-3, 11-2.

In the quarterfinals, the duo took on their most difficult opponents based on the rankings, the third-seeded Anna Bright and James Ignatovich, but once again, they won comfortably 11-5, 11-3 moving to the last four.

The 10th-seeded Vivienne David and Julian Arnold were their semifinal opponents and this time, they managed to take a set away from them. However, eventually, Sock and Waters prevailed, winning 9-11, 11-6, 11-7 to set up a final meeting on the Championship Sunday.

The final of the event is played on a different day than the rest of the competition, as a name suggests, on the Championship Sunday. In the final, Waters and Sock will play against the fourth-seeded Allyce Jones and Riley Newman.

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