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U.S. OPENAugust 27, 2012Jack SockNEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK J. SOCK/F. Mayer THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. Q. You came into the tournament and you were quoted as saying that you feel like your game is on the verge of going to the next level. Is this an indication to yourself that that's the case? JACK SOCK: Yeah. I mean, I felt like I played pretty well throughout the summer. I've had some up‑and‑down results, but I think overall I feel better about my game, which is why I said that. I think today is definitely good for the confidence and good for the overall game and everything going into the next round. Q. You held it together very well for a couple points. Seemed to come up with the big shots when you needed that. Is that how you felt it? JACK SOCK: Yeah. I think my serve was definitely pretty reliable when I was down. I was down Love‑30 once or twice, down Love‑40 once. Came up with some good serves, first‑ball combos. I think that was definitely some turning points, not letting him get a break and not letting him get some momentum back. Q. What is it like playing here? JACK SOCK: I mean, it's the best. You can't ask for a better tournament, a better atmosphere, a better environment. That grandstand court was awesome. The fans were pretty close and really into it. It was a great environment. I'd love to play on there again sometime. Q. What about the Americans' chances here going deep into the tournament? JACK SOCK: Yeah, I mean, I think we have a good group. Did [] Dennis win? Q. He was up a break. JACK SOCK: I saw he was up a break in the second. Yeah, I mean, we had a couple guys playing today. Fortunately, two Americans playing tomorrow, Ryan and Andy. And then we have Ryan who I think always has a good chance of winning, and John who has been playing well this summer. He won last week in Winston. Hopefully some of that can come into this week. So, yeah, I think we should have a couple guys get far. Q. People talk a lot about the physicality of the game now in the last 10 years or so, certainly the way the game is played in the top 10. Do you feel physically that you're able to compete at this level or do you still feel you're growing into that? JACK SOCK: I think better, if not very close. I think I'm definitely in better shape this year overall physicality than last year for sure. And I think actually my surgery had a little bit to do with it, having to take a couple months off. I was in Vegas for about a month and a half working with Gil and his team getting my body ready to play this summer and to get me ready for this tournament. So I think definitely it was good to have some time like that, kind of get a full off‑season I guess is what I was calling it, since I didn't have one really last year. Yeah, I think overall my physicality is better this year. Q. Talking about Gil Reyes? JACK SOCK: Yes. Q. Is he here with you? JACK SOCK: Yes, but he's helping all the adidas people. Q. Does this question about American tennis haunt you? Do you get it at small tournaments? Big tournaments? Cocktail parties? Dinner conversations? JACK SOCK: I can't drink cocktails (smiling). But, no, I mean, people ask me all the time. Pretty much give the same answer every time: Until we have a bunch of guys in the top 15 or top 20, we're kind of getting a lot of guys at the top of the game again, still going to be the same answer. I think we definitely have a good group of guys coming up, a good group of guys working hard trying to get there. We have a group of guys already there, John, Mardy. Yeah, people ask it all the time. Until the results are there, until the rankings and everything is there, not a different answer to give. Q. How competitive is it among your own group? Is it more like supportive? JACK SOCK: I mean, yeah, we're all friendly. I think we're all pretty good friends. We're all friendly. I like to see the other guys do well, for sure. Obviously, I support American tennis. I'd like to see us do as well as possible. In the minds of the other guys ‑ I don't know how they feel ‑ but overall it's more of a supportive, friendly team or group than negative. Q. Can you get any inspiration or learn anything from what Milos Raonic has done so far? JACK SOCK: Yeah, I mean, you can definitely look at it as a motivation or inspiration, for sure. I mean, like a lot of other guys have said, I remember playing futures with him a couple years ago, and all of a sudden he was top 30 or whatever. That can happen. A couple good tournaments for him, a couple breakthrough tournaments, and he is where he is now. Hopefully it will come sooner than later for me as well. Q. You didn't see that coming with him at all? JACK SOCK: I didn't really know him that well. I had seen him a couple times. That was about it. Obviously he's a big, strong guy, massive serve, and big weapons. That can happen if you have a player like that. So, yeah, I mean I can't say I didn't see it coming, but I can't say I said it was coming. Q. On a scale of 1 to 10, how good was your serve today, knowing what you can do on a good day? JACK SOCK: I think my second serve was a 9.63. I think my first serve was pretty good. I mean, when I missed the first serve, I think my second serve really helped me. I was able to start off the point ahead even with the second serve. When I think I was down a game, my serve was a 10 coming up big on some points where I was down or some games where I was down. Q. Does that mean that it's not that important who is across the net, Roger or Rafa excepted? JACK SOCK: Yeah, I mean, I think for some reason here in New York at the Open, the last couple years I played here, I played well here overall, pretty consistently. I always served pretty well. Even last year, I served well against Andy. I still lost, but I thought I served pretty well. So for some reason here I always feel like I serve pretty well. This whole summer I've been pretty up and down with it. It's actually something I've been working on. Then today I was feeling good and hopefully I can carry that over to my next match. Q. Are the goals different this year? Do you expect more out of yourself this tournament? JACK SOCK: I mean, last year obviously was great to get a win under my belt, get my first Grand Slam win. I mean, yeah, I'm playing the tournament to compete and try and win matches and play as far as I can in the draw. Whoever I'm playing, I'm going to give it my all and try to win.  Definitely winning last year gave me more confidence to try to advance in the draw as far as I can. I'm going to try to use that and go as far as I can this year. Q. Are you and Melanie Oudin going to play doubles? JACK SOCK: People keep asking me that. Of course, we're going to play. Try to do what we can again. Hopefully we get a wild card, I guess. I don't know. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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