Rafa Nadal prepares for ‘dangerous’ Jack Sock in French Open fourth round

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  • American Jack Sock is in the fourth round of a slam for the first time in his career.

    With a fierce forehand and a renewed perspective, Jack Sock will take on tennis’ ultimate challenge on clay in the form of a fourth round date today with Rafael Nadal.

    Six months ago, Sock tore a muscle in his pelvis during his offseason training and it required surgery, forcing him to miss the first two and a half months of the year.

    After his surgery, Sock’s brother, Eric, was hospitalised for three weeks as he battled a bout of Lemierre’s Syndrome, a complication of a bacterial sore throat infection that can be dangerous, and he was put on a ventilator for eight days. Eric has since recovered.

    Add to that Sock’s grandfather’s ongoing battle with Alzheimer’s and it’s understandable why the 22-year-old American is approaching tennis with more gusto and a calmer demeanour than in the past.

    “When I was in the hospital next to the bed with my brother, it was a very tough time for not only myself but my family,” said Sock, who is in the fourth round of a major for the first time in his career.

    “But it was more motivation. He got through that, and it’s pushing me out on the court, teaching me things that maybe I didn’t know in the past. He’s able to get through that, makes the things on the court that I would maybe usually get frustrated with that don’t seem as big anymore, and it helps me play a little bit more relaxed tennis. So in general, it’s been more motivation than anything.”

    Sock, who is the youngest American to make the French Open last 16 since Pete Sampras in 1993, has been writing “4Ugpa” on the shoes he’s been wearing for his matches – a dedication to his grandfather – and has blasted through his opening three rounds, taking out No10 seed Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets, Pablo Carreno Busta in four and Borna Coric in three.

    It’s no secret that Americans are not the biggest fans of clay, considering they don’t spend that much time on the surface growing up, but Sock – who last year was alternatively referred to as “Jacque Sock” when he made the French Open third round – seems to have a game that lends itself to the red dirt.

    “I feel like it maximises my game more than other surfaces,” he says of the clay.

    “I’m able to set up and dictate with the forehand again. Serving definitely gets up. It definitely makes my shots a little more lethal, I guess, than on other surfaces. It feels like it suits my game very well. I feel very comfortable on it.”

    Nadal, targeting a 10th crown in Paris, is well aware of Sock’s strengths. The Spaniard is one game away from a potential mouth-watering clash with top-seeded Novak Djokovic but knows taking care of Sock will be tough.

    “He’s a great player, no? He’s playing fantastic, winning very tough matches against very difficult opponents. He has an amazing forehand, good serve, very good serve, and then he’s a player that can play very aggressive and is dangerous, no? I know I have to be very solid. I know I have to play aggressive, try to don’t let him to hit the forehand in positions, because I am going to be in big trouble. I gonna try,” says Nadal.

    It is the forehand-to-forehand battle that Sock is looking most forward to as he believes his own money shot can rival Nadal’s.

    “I’m not really one to get a whole lot of nerves before big matches. I more look forward to it and it

    “I’m kind of excited to see the forehand-to-forehand battle. Obviously we are both going be trying to do similar things. It will be pretty interesting to see the different game plans going on.”

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