Jack Sock advances at U.S. Open in singles, faces Frenchman in next match in New York

Jack Sock hasn’t had much success lately in professional tennis, but he took a step in the right direction at the U.S. Open Monday in New York.

Sock, who played in high school at Blue Valley North, pulled out a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2) win over Pablo Cuevas of Argentina in a first-round battle of unseeded players.

It was Sock’s first win in a Grand Slam singles match since the first round of the 2018 US Open and just his second victory in four matches this season on the ATP Tour.

Sock’s world ranking in singles has dropped to No. 389, but that often didn’t show against the 61st-ranked Cuevas. Sock hit 10 aces and 51 winners during the match while overcoming 49 unforced errors.

Sock was once ranked as high as No. 8 in the world but has been trying to get back to form since dealing with some health issues, including a thumb injury early last year that required surgery.

Sock’s second-round opponent will be 32nd-seeded Adrian Mannarino of France. Sock has won four of five career meetings on the ATP Tour.

This story was originally published August 31, 2020 at 6:38 PM.