Sock Advances In Houston

Fourth seed Jack Sock defeated qualifier Matthew Barton 6-2, 7-6(5) on Thursday to move into the quarter-finals of the Fayez Sarofim & Co US Men’s Clay Court Championship. The defending champion won 80 per cent of first serve points and secured his sixth consecutive win in Houston in 75 minutes. He has not lost a set in Houston since the first round last year (d. Souza).

“It’s never easy playing a guy you’ve never faced before and who you haven’t seen,” Sock said of Barton. “He’s very athletic and has a pretty big serve. He hit a couple at 138mph. I didn’t realise he had that massive of a serve.

“I’ve been here for a week practicing, so I was a bit anxious to get on the court and play my first match. I felt happy with my one-two punch. I dictated well with my forehand.”

Twelve months ago, Sock earned his maiden ATP World Tour title by defeating countryman Sam Querrey in the final as unseeded player. Now No. 25 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, Sock improved to 8-6 on the year and earned his first clay-court win of 2016. He is looking to reach his second final of the season, having retired due to illness against Roberto Bautista Agut in Auckland in January.

Wild card Tim Smyczek dismissed fellow American Donald Young 6-2, 6-4 in 56 minutes to reach his second quarter-finals of the year (l. to Querrey in Delray Beach). A resurgent Smyzcek, who only had five tour-level wins last year (5-13), is already 6-5 in 2016.

Awaiting the Milwaukee native is Feliciano Lopez, who eliminated Lukas Lacko 7-6(4), 6-1. The third seed won all but four points on his first serve (27/31) and improved to 2-0 in the FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry against the Slovak. The left-handed Spaniard topped Smyczek 7-5, 6-4 in their lone past tour-level meeting (2014 Toronto).