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BNP PARIBAS OPENMarch 17, 2015Jack SockINDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA J. SOCK/R. Bautista Agut THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. I guess you weren't kidding about your fitness the other day. JACK SOCK: Yeah. Like I said all week, I feel confident in my body; trust it fully now. I said earlier I think maybe a few years ago I maybe got a little more discouraged after a first set, losing a first set, not trusting it fully, or having to conserve some energy to possibly go three or whatever circumstance happens. Yeah, I feel great about it now. Q. Is the body well enough to play singles and doubles and everything? JACK SOCK: Yeah. I got a later start to the year so I think I'm fresher than the other guys. Yeah, it's holding up well, and my physio is doing a good job keeping my healthy and fresh. Q. Are these three‑setters helping you just kind of get back in the groove and get a little more match tough after being out so long? JACK SOCK: I think a little bit, yeah. It never hurts to ‑‑ when you get the later start that I had get a little more match time. Yeah, I mean, obviously not ideal to have slower starts or get down a set, but yeah, to get back, it only helps the confidence and then obviously helps the tennis in my game as well to have some more time out there and be able rep some more shots. Q. Is there something you have been doing to adjust after those slow starts that's clicking or coming together in that regard? JACK SOCK: I mean, my first two were maybe slower starts. Today I was actually up I break in the first and second early. Gave it back today on a good game from him, but sloppier game on my serve. But, no, I mean, I think I have a game plan going in, and maybe not executing it to the best of my ability at the beginning. But I just think as long as I stick to it I have a good chance. Q. Fresh is one thing, but were you surprised you aren't a little more rusty? JACK SOCK: I think whoever watched the first set of my first match saw that I was maybe a little bit more rusty. Either that or maybe a little bit of nerves. I usually don't get too nervous before matches or when I go out to play, but that first round I was definitely a little slow with the feet and shots weren't clicking. Yeah, I was able to get that one back and turn that one around. I think the deeper I go into tournaments, singles or doubles or whatever it is, I think I play actually a little bit better. So, yeah, I was happy to get through the first few, and now I feel pretty good. Q. Could have Federer next. Talk about that. JACK SOCK: Yeah, never played him. I mean, we are friendly. Friendly guy. Talk in the locker room some. Yeah, I'm more excited than anything if I do play him. Obviously Seppi got him in Melbourne. But, yeah, if I get a chance to play him ‑‑ I haven't played one of those, as some people say, those top 4 guys. I haven't been able to play one in a match. Yeah, I look forward to it, and especially here in the States it would be fun. Q. Did you watch a lot of the AO when you were out? JACK SOCK: Not really. I was home in Kansas City. I told my family let's not turn it on very much, because I'm a pretty competitive person. You know, it's more frustrating for me to watch. You know, having injury and not being able to be there was disappointing to me, but I tuned in towards the end and watched some of the last matches. Some great tennis again. I was more focused on my brother's health. I was at the hospital every single day hours upon hours. Yeah, I didn't watch a whole lot. Q. You mentioned the top 4 guys. You know, since you have been on tour, has one of them stood out as sort of the standard bearer of the men's tour? JACK SOCK: I mean, they are all unbelievable players. They have all proved themselves time and time again at pretty much every tournament on tour every surface. I mean, slams‑wise obviously Roger is the leader. Q. Not since you have been on tour. JACK SOCK: Yeah, but, I mean, they are all great players. I hope I get a chance to play them all at some point. Q. Have you played Novak? JACK SOCK: No. I haven't played Novak, Andy, Rafa, or Roger. Q. What do you think would be so difficult about facing each of those guys? Break it down. JACK SOCK: I don't know. I think it's the kind of start to finish, a clean match you have to play. Can't really get away with obviously anything. Especially a guy like Novak who literally gives you nothing. Basically makes every return, puts every ball deep, and takes you out of your rhythm and your game. But with any of them, start to finish have to be locked in mentally. Physically feet have to be going and you have to be able to stay on top of whatever game plan you had against them and go from there. It would be fun to play. Q. Is there one of them you've wanted to play more than the other? JACK SOCK: No, not necessarily, no. Q. When you grew up, what was Roger to you in terms of ‑‑was he the guy who was your favorite growing up? JACK SOCK: Roddick was a big one growing up obviously both being from Nebraska watching him. Yeah, I really started taking tennis seriously kind of after he won the Open. I was young, and kind of started playing seriously and kind of every day and fell in love with the sport. And obviously watching Roger from when he had the long hair and all that to now. I mean, probably maybe possibly best player of all time, a lot of people would say. He's done some pretty incredible things. Won every tournament he possibly can, pretty much. I think he's kind of a walking legend. Hopefully, if he can get it done tonight, then, you know, I look forward to it tomorrow. Q. You weren't one of these guys who idolized him growing up? It was more Andy? JACK SOCK: Being an American, Andy was probably the top. But I watched everyone. I was in love with the sport. I watched every tournament I could on TV. So, I mean, I looked up to everyone. But, I mean, I think the connection being from the same state as a guy doing as well as Andy did in his career, that was pretty special. Q. Weren't you kind of the Roger Federer of the big 4 of Nebraska high school tennis? JACK SOCK: Kansas high school tennis. Yeah, that's a different level. Q. Undefeated, right? JACK SOCK: Yeah. Q. You were like the Federer. JACK SOCK: We can say that, yeah. I will take that one. (Smiling.) Q. Can you talk a little bit about your doubles success? Gulbis said you weren't missing anything. JACK SOCK: Yeah, I said on the court after that I think Vasek and I‑‑ I mean, I guess for myself, I just like to have fun out there. I think people see that when we play. Obviously I'm competitive and I don't want to lose, but usually smiling a lot of time, talking to people in the crowd, whatever it is, kind of joking around. I think that's part of why either myself or Vasek and I do really well together. We just have fun. When you keep it light like that, especially in doubles, you almost play better. When you get really uptight and stressed out, nitpicking every shot or whatever it is, you tend to play a little worse. So I think that's probably a big part of it, having fun and playing loose. Q. Are you planning to play together all year? JACK SOCK: Yeah. Plan to go play all the Masters and slams and then whenever we are playing the same schedule outside of that. But, yeah, we have a little bit different schedules, but... FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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