Sock Makes Breakthrough In The Big Apple

Jack Sock has come a long way from finding himself in a five-set battle with Taylor Fritz in the first round on Monday. Four days later and the American is through to the US Open fourth round for the first time after upsetting seventh seed and former champion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

The 26^th-seeded Sock, who had fallen in the third round twice before, dominated proceedings, winning 28 points more than Cilic and limiting himself to just 15 unforced errors as he prevailed in one hour and 41 minutes.

Sock recorded his first Top 10 win in a major to reach the last 16 at a Grand Slam for the second time, having also done so at Roland Garros last year (l. to Nadal). Looking to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final, Sock will face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The 23-year-old Sock is coming off a memorable summer, which saw him clinch a mixed doubles gold medal at the Olympics, alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands, and bronze in the men’s doubles with Steve Johnson. He was also a quarter-finalist at the Citi Open (l. to Karlovic) and reached the third round in Toronto (l. to Wawrinka). Earlier in the year, the Kansas resident was runner-up in Auckland and Houston.

Cilic was looking for a repeat of his 2014 title-winning run at Flushing Meadows. The Croat, who is playing his first tournament with new coach Jonas Bjorkman, came into the US Open in top form, after winning his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati, where he defeated Andy Murray in the final.