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U.S. OPEN

August 29, 2016

Jack Sock

New York, NY, USA

J. SOCK/T. Fritz

7-6, 7-5, 3-6, 1-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How many times have you played him in a tournament?
JACK SOCK: That was the second.

Q. All your matches go five sets, right?
JACK SOCK: Two for two. Yeah, today was obviously a back-and-forth match. Two sets my way, two sets his way and then a battle in the fifth, but just happy to get through.

Q. What do you think made the difference tonight?
JACK SOCK: I thought I came out and I thought I returned well the whole match. He's got a great serve. He can really pop the first serve. Can't be spotted well. It's tough. I was able to get on a lot of second serves and put pressure on him I think. That paid off in the fifth getting up two breaks. Obviously didn't help me too much when I gave them right back.

Yeah, once again, I was able to come up with some good returns at the 5-4 game and played a couple good points and got it done.

Q. How badly did the color of his shirt throw off your game?
JACK SOCK: I guess it could have gone both ways because I was wearing the same one for the first few sets.

Q. An adjustment you have to make?
JACK SOCK: No. We've seen them before. Nothing new.

Q. Doesn't ever get lost?
JACK SOCK: No.

Q. What are your thoughts on the state of men's tennis in America right now with the younger players who got a chance to play in the first round against a couple more veteran American players?
JACK SOCK: Yeah. I mean, you never want to see a bunch of Americans playing first round. Less chances for us to have more in the second round. But draws are draws. I saw some of the Isner-Tiafoe match earlier. These guys are in the main draw for a reason. Grand Slam matches are always tough.

I think the younger Americans are doing a great job of making a splash, making names for themselves early. Taylor has been a pro for a year and some change now and he's already in the top 60 or 70 or wherever he is.

Yeah, these guys are playing great tennis. They're playing with confidence. As many for some of us, my first few years I wasn't top 100 right away. It took a little more time. These guys are playing free and with nothing to lose and coming out playing well.

Yeah, I mean, I saw Frances serve for the match earlier. Didn't get it, but the experience does go a long way. This is my sixth or seventh US Open. Sixth, I think. I know John has played however many.

The experience does play a factor.

Q. When you win a match here you hit balls up into the crowd. What is that experience like and where are you trying to hit the balls?
JACK SOCK: Whoever's loudest probably most of the time. If I have a certain section or a few people that are really loud supporting me throughout the match, I'll try to hit it to them to kind of thank them.

Other than that, I usually have a sort of signature one where I will face one direction and kind of hit it backwards and tease them a little bit. That's one I usually like to do.

For the most part, whoever is being loudest and whoever helped me most in the match.

Q. What is the experience like when you get to do that after a match?
JACK SOCK: I mean, it's fun. The people go nuts. They get really loud. It's a fun experience for them. They stuck around for however many hours you played a match. It's the least we can do to give back.

Q. You talked recently about wanting to build on your doubles success. How has your experience in Rio or the medal and success there, how do you channel that into singles?
JACK SOCK: I've never considered myself a doubles player. I've just enjoyed playing it. Happened to have pretty good success in it so far in my career.

But like I've said recently in the media, I won't be playing any more doubles in slams. I want to put my focus solely on singles. Been a few instances in these slams where obviously you're playing three-out-of-five, and especially here in New York where it can be 95 degrees, 70 percent humidity, you need to have all your energy. You need to rest up for these singles matches.

There's been a couple places where I always loved playing doubles 100%, and obviously I go out there and give it my all. Yeah, just decided to put it aside and be able to rest and put everything into singles. Maybe there's schedule mishaps where on your day off you're waiting to play last on in doubles and all of a sudden you're here.

This happened to me last year a little bit. I was here, played until 9:30, 10:00 at night and you're not out of here until 11:00, 11:30, and they put me on second the next day.

There is nothing you can do about it. You can't control the schedule. But it can be avoided if you're not in the draw.

Q. Is there something you try to do differently on the big points from the not-so-big points?
JACK SOCK: Win them would probably be the most important. I mean, no. My game is pretty straightforward, I feel like. If there's a big point I'm looking for a forehand; looking to be aggressive.

If I'm serving, looking to make first serves. If I'm returning, dictate with my forehand as much as possible. Get the majority of the points. Yeah, any point, especially big points, that's what I'm trying to do.

Q. From which tennis figure have you drawn the most inspiration and why?
JACK SOCK: Oh, man. It's tough. Growing up, I've said this numerous times being from Nebraska, Roddick was a big influence watching him. I can remember to this day watching him win this tournament with his spiky blonde hair and visor and wearing the Reebok clothes.

That was big for me growing up one city over from where he was from. Other than that, when I was really younger I watched Andre a lot, Andre and Pete, and then Andy when I started taking tennis seriously when I started getting older.

Just as time has gone, you're focusing on your game and trying to get better yourself. But you can pick up things even your first few years on tour when you watch the top four guys, what they can do. You can always take a few things what they're doing and apply it into your own daily routines, professionalism.

There's always something to be learned. Yeah, I mean, I would say the majority of people.

Q. A little while ago in your career you were playing in the Wimbledon doubles final. You score the great championship point. This summer you go to Rio and become a bronze medalist. Can you compare the two different peak experiences?
JACK SOCK: How did you describe the first-round loss?

Q. I called it wretched.
JACK SOCK: The guy's a pretty good player, so I wouldn't consider it a bad loss. He took a set off Del Potro next round, so I think he's a pretty solid tennis player. So we can make that clear.

But, yeah, I mean, it wasn't my day in singles. He played good tennis. Had to regroup and get ready for the doubles. Then in the mixed, able to come away with two medals, one being gold. Had one of the best weeks of my life.

I mean, I put Rio and my time there at the Olympics at the same level as Wimbledon and my first singles title, if not in front of it. Something about the Olympics. Obviously you dream of it as a kid. It's even different being there, I think.

I've heard so much going in and the expectation and everything, but I think it's that much and better when you're there. It's definitely one of the best weeks of my life being there with all the athletes and supporting everyone and the camaraderie, and the overall experience was incredible. I think all the guys would say that.

Q. Can you try to put into words the rush you get at the moment of victory?
JACK SOCK: I mean, the bronze was awesome. I'm a big golf fan. One of my favorite golfers is Matt Kuchar, and had the pleasure of him watching our bronze medal match. I was pretty hyped up for that, having him there and then being able to win in there. Went over and gave him and the whole team a hug afterwards. That was a pretty special moment for me.

And then a few days later winning gold and hearing the U.S. National Anthem standing in the middle of the podium with a gold around your neck, there's really nothing like it. Don't really know if it's sunk in totally. Just flew from Rio, and the next day started training, the day I got off the plane, for this tournament.

Different from the other sports where you maybe have a little time off after the Olympics. After this maybe I'll sit back and enjoy it a little more.

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