Jack Sock was down a set and lost his serve on a missed forehand at 15-40 for 46 45 and then suddenly retired from the match, shaking hands with his conqueror Nicholas David Ionel.
The match was a first round duel on Wednesday, and it was Ionel’s 20th birthday. Ionel is ranked 263 in the world and he’s coached by former top 15 player and fellow Romanian Andrei Pavel.
Sock stayed in Europe with his wife Laura, after Laver Cup in September and played three ATP Challengers in France, attempting to raise his singles ranking from 126 back into the top 100 – for the first time in about four years.
But the plan has not succeeded. Sock beat Harold Mayot and Lukas Rosol in Orleans, France but then lost in the quarterfinals to 81 ranked Hugo Gaston 26 36.
Then in Mouilleron le Captif Challenger, Sock defeated Alexis Gautier, ranked 582, but then lost to 75th ranked JJ Wolf 67 46.
Then this week came the early loss to the unknown Ionel by total surrender. Sock did not force the inexperienced Romanian to serve out the biggest win of his career. Instead Sock just rolled and over and tanked the match, an abysmal act of self sabotage which suggests extreme frustration and totally lost confidence. Four years of struggle, failure and frustration have taken a heavy toll.
It’s now been five years of Sock trying to rebuild his singles career back to the top 100 but he has been unable to accomplish this goal. Sock was ranked no. 8 in the world in November 2017.
Sock, who turned 30 three weeks ago, apparently has dropped Robby Ginepri as his coach. Earlier this year he dismissed Alex Bolgomolov, who had been his coach for almost four years, only achieving minimal singles success.
Right now Sock is ranked 124 in singles, so close yet so far away from the top 100.
Cory · October 14, 2022 at 9:15 pm
Sock got into the top 100 with raw talent alone…. having the worst mental game ever. I am shocked he broke the top 10. And yeah… why not force Ionel to serve it out? The frustration must be spilling over.
We certainly haven’t seen the last of Sock’s career… but we may have seen the last of him in the top 100.
Scoop Malinowski · October 14, 2022 at 9:28 pm
Sock is a great fighter most of the time Cory, but he will tank on rare occasion too. But lots of greats have tanked – Agassi, Rios, young Federer, young Djokovic, let’s not forget that. I saw Sock tank to Steve Johnson about ten years ago at Sarasota Open after losing first set TB, he tanked early in second set, it was hot midday afternoon in April but there appeared nothing wrong, he was just annoyed losing the first set to Johnson. In that situation he has to force Ionel to serve it out. Shocking judgement to just gift the match to him. Sock’s heart may not be in it anymore. He has his wife with him in France, she may be his top priority not tennis. Nothing wrong with that )