Jack Sock loses to Rafael Nadal in four sets at French Open

Fans at the French Open, perhaps a little tired of Rafael Nadal’s dominace in the tennis major, got behind Jack Sock on Monday during their match at Roland Garros in Paris.

Sock, who had qualified for the fourth round of a Grand Slame event for the first time in his career, was definitely an underdog against Nadal, who has won the tournament in nine of the 10 previous years he has entered.

Sock put up a good fight, becoming the first player to win a set against Nadal in this year’s tournament before falling 6-3, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2. Sock, a 22-year-old who went to Blue Valley North High School, was bidding to become the first American man to reach the quarterfinals since Andre Agassi in 2003.

“I knew it was going to be a tough task and I was going to have to play my best tennis to have a chance,” Sock said in his post-match news conference.

After dropping the first two sets, Sock got back in the match in the third set when he converted three break points. However, Nadal regained control in the fourth set and put the match away, raising his lifetime record in the French Open to 70-1.

Sock, the last American male in the singles draw, was hurt by nine double faults and 43 unforced errors, compared with two double faults and 32 unforced errors for Nadal.

Sock said the serve of both players was key.

“My serve let me down,” he said. “I needed to serve very well, if not my best, to have a chance. That is probably what I am most frustrated with. It didn’t feel right today.”

Sock also had trouble with Nadal’s serve.

“My returns, I wasn’t getting them deep enough,” he said. “Obviously against a guy like that, if you leave anything short they are on it pretty fast and take control of the point.”

When the match was over, Nadal shook hands with Sock and then gave a big pump of his fist to the crowd, perhaps relieved that he had advanced to a quarterfinal showdown with top-seeded Novak Djopkovic.

“It was a very good first two sets for me,” Nadal said. “In the third, I lost a little bit of intensity. I think my serve today was the worst thing. Didn’t start enough points with advantage.

“He’s a very dangerous player, a great player. The real thing is, I opened the door for him to go for the shots, and he did very well.”

Sock said he was pleased with his showing, which included straight-set wins over his first three opponents, and he hopes to build on it in the future. He is expected to climb to about No. 31 in the world rankings, meaning he could be seeded in men’s singles at Wimbledon later this month.

“I came in hoping to win matches and have a good run,” he said. “I am pleased with it, to win three three-setters against some good opponents.

“To go up against the best player to play our sport and see where I match up, I will definitely take a lot away from this week.”

Sock bristled at the suggestion that he might do better in singles if he didn’t play doubles. Sock has reached the French quarterfinals in doubles with partner Vasek Pospisil.

They will play Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau on Tuesday.

“If you are younger, are feeling good and have the energy, why not,” he said. “As long as I am healthy, I will keep playing doubles.”

This story was originally published June 1, 2015 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Jack Sock loses to Rafael Nadal in four sets at French Open."