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U.S. OPEN

September 2, 2016

Jack Sock

New York, NY, USA

J. SOCK/M. Cilic

6-4, 6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. A couple of months ago you were running for president...
JACK SOCK: Still running for president.

Q. What kind of stock is raised here at the round of 16?
JACK SOCK: I think it can only help my campaign. It's been a good year. I think I'm the only one running so I'm in good position now.

Yeah, no, it's been good fun, and hopefully everyone helps.

Q. Are you a better player now than you were, say, a year ago? In what ways?
JACK SOCK: I'd like to think so, yeah. I mean, I think with every year, every tournament, I mean, every experience can only help. I think just all around I think I'm putting things together better and better. I definitely feel more confident out there in everything I'm doing.

Used to be some liabilities people would talk about in my game. I feel like I have cleaned those up pretty well. Returning was big for me. I think I've gotten a pretty good hold on that. Feeling comfortable. Getting in a lot of guys' service games now.

Overall I feel my purpose out there. I'm executing it well and I feel like I know what I'm going to do on almost every point.

Q. I asked you the other day about the feeling of being in the third round. Same question, different round. Especially at this tournament - you have done it before - but to do it here, does it feel like more of an accomplishment? Do you still feel like you have that hunger to go further?
JACK SOCK: I mean, yeah, always. I made third round here a couple of times. For me to make the second week here and every slam going forward is my goal. I feel like if I'm playing good tennis and how I can, I feel like that's kind of where I belong.

You know, I was able to piece it together today well and play a good match. Always happy to get through the next round, but definitely the hunger and excitement is that much and more. I think every round you make you want to keep going and keep playing good tennis, especially in front of your home fans here.

Not really a better feeling through the year than being an American at this tournament. So, yeah, obviously I want to keep playing and go as far as I can go.

Q. What did you take from your comeback against him the last time that you put into action so well today?
JACK SOCK: Yeah, I mean, obvious tactical stuff when I'm out there playing, but more so the confidence and everything. First tie of that rubber, or first rubber of that tie, and, you know, I got down two sets. To come back and get three there and get us off to a good start, it only gave me confidence, you know, going into the summer because it's kind of the first -- you know, it was the kickstart of the summer for me.

And obviously against, you know, that opponent. And then playing him today, took a lot of stuff away from that. Watched some video of it. And, yeah, used what I did well there in the last three sets again today and it worked out.

Q. How much of your success now at this Open is the more mature Jack Sock as opposed to past years?
JACK SOCK: I would contribute a lot of it to it. Yeah, maybe in the past years maybe I was -- like he was saying, I was happy to make third round and, you know, kind of whatever happens, happens.

But I feel like definitely more, you know, on a mission this year, you know, like I have been at most tournaments. Going forward, like I said, I feel like where my tennis is and confidence, you know, how I can play, my goal is to be competing to win tournaments that I'm playing instead of, you know, just content with making a quarter or whatever tournament it is.

Yeah, definitely on a mission now to compete to try to be winning these tournaments I'm playing.

Q. First of all, what was that song you were playing?
JACK SOCK: That was Luke Combs, Hurricane. Great song.

Q. I will download that. The other one was can you describe the emotions at the end of that match and what were you doing there? Was that a Ickey Shuffle?
JACK SOCK: No, I was fencing with my racquet. I became good buddies in Rio with one of the fencers, Miles Chamley-Watson. He lives here in New York. I have been trying to get him to come out and watch a match. He was busy doing his stuff.

He was able to come out here today. Kind of on the spot I thought of turning the racquet into -- I think it's called a foil? Is that what they call it? Thought of turning the racquet into one of those and doing something for him for coming out. I think people were enjoying it. I have seen the video. It looks pretty funny, actually.

Yeah, so if he's in the box on the next one and I'm able to win, you might see a cleaned up technique and better version of it.

Q. Obviously some good recent results against Cilic. Could you talk about the importance of matchups in tennis? Are they critical? What kind of players do you match up against well and who not so much?
JACK SOCK: That's a tough question. I mean, I don't know. It's kind of circumstantial. I mean, you can say you match up well against a guy, but if they are having a great day and you are having a little bit of an off day -- you're at these tournaments and everyone is in the draw for a reason and everyone is a professional tennis player for a reason.

So I think anybody can beat anybody on any given day. And, yeah, you can say I really match up well against this guy, but if you're a little bit off, these guys are too good at this level. They'll take advantage and they can get you.

Yeah, I mean, today I feel like playing a guy like that he likes everything, you know, in the slot and he dictates really well if he's on the baseline and moving the ball around. That's how he won this tournament a couple years ago.

That's why I tried to do. Today big for me was the variety. A lot of kick serves trying to get out of the strike zone and keep him on the move and throw on some slice. Was able to work well, especially with the windy conditions.

Yeah, that's kind of my game style going up against anybody, and hopefully it works.

Q. I want to follow up on what you said earlier about improving your returns. You sort of made a passing reference to people talking about maybe that being a part of your game that wasn't as good as other aspects. Wondering, first of all, is that something you sort of heard in the outside world or somebody close to you said, Hey, you've got to improve this? And how did you improve your return?
JACK SOCK: I mean, I think you can always improve every part of your game. I only say that because when I got to play a match or people like to talk about my tennis, they talk about serving and forehand is what I hear all the time.

So obviously, you know, when I'm playing guys the general public like to talk about maybe the weaker side being my backhand and all that. I think I have improved it tremendously. Serve big and maybe getting into a lot of breakers and not being able to get in guys' service games.

I feel like that's changed dramatically as well. Feel very comfortable returning. I think the doubles helped a lot. Even the week in Rio I was returning really, really well, and I'm taking that in, that confidence, and kind of just that flow and rhythm into all these matches. I think it's showing.

Yeah, I think when you can hold comfortably and, you know, you're in a lot of guys' service games, it only makes it that much easier out there.

Q. Tsonga next. I think you played only once and on clay. Perhaps you wouldn't pull anything from that. If you do, what do you take from that match and what's an opponent like him offering?
JACK SOCK: Yeah, you know, he's a very established player. Been in the top 10o for a long time and had great success at tournaments of all levels and I'm going to have to obviously bring out my best stuff again to have a chance.

But it's sort of similar to today. I think he's a guy who likes to lean on the ball. Likes to be attacking and dictating. If I can throw some variety in there, serve well again, and get into some return games, the chances go up for me.

Yeah, I mean, we play a similar style, I think. We both look for forehands to dictate points, and I think it will kind of be whoever can get that first attacking position with that side, and then serving will also a big part of it.

He serves well. We both look to get easy points on that.

Q. (Question regarding decision to stop playing doubles.)
JACK SOCK: Max told me I couldn't play any more doubles. It was the team, collective decision within the team. It was personal experiences, you know, where I felt like it's kind of hindered my play in singles.

But also, even playing with Vasek the last couple years, last year Wimbledon, played five sets against Troicki; down two sets to love. Same day we were down two sets to love in doubles; we came back and lost in five.

So we played ten sets in one day. Two days later played Murray in the quarters and kind of ran out of gas. Had opportunities in the quarters of a slam in singles. You know, had he not played five more sets that day and gotten the rest.

For me here last year, I got my first round win. Was here till 9:30, 10:00 playing doubles and put me on second the next morning. Obviously not getting the proper rest and everything you need going into those matches.

So tough decision on one end, but also easy decision on the other, where you get all your energy and rest and hydration and you just take all the necessary steps to do your best in singles. I think it's showing. So far this year I think I'll stick to this in the future.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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