Americans Sock and Johnson Move Into Quarters at Hall of Fame Championships
Fresh off his victory over the Bryan brothers in the Wimbledon Men’s Doubles tournament title match last week, American Jack Sock moved into the quarterfinals of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island on Wednesday.
Sock defeated fellow American Rajeev Ram 7-5, 6-2 in straight sets in his second round match to move into the quarterfinals. The 21-year old, who paired with Canadian Jaroslav Pospisil to capture the Wimbledon doubles title in London last week, smashed 12 aces en route to the one hour and 18 minute win. He also picked up nine break points in nine opportunities, which really turned the tide in the second set.
Sock’s quarterfinal matchup will be against a fellow American as he awaits the winner of top-seeded John Isner and qualifier Austin Krajicek who got underway shortly after Sock’s match ended.
Also winning in straight sets was eighth-seeded American Steve Johnson, who cruised past Japan’s Tatsuma Ito in his second-round match. Ito was forced to retire early in the second set with a left knee injury, but Sock had a commanding 6-3, 2-0 lead when the match concluded. Johnson was able to rip eight aces and saved two break points in the shortened match, and will next face Lleyton Hewitt.
Hewitt rolled past Croatia’s Ante Pavic 6-2, 6-2 in his match Wednesday. The former world number one needed a little over an hour to dispose of Pavic as he held serve throughout the match and saved all seven break point opportunities. Hewitt was last year’s runner up at this event as he lost to France’s Nicholas Mahut in the finals. Mahut, the fourth-seed in this year’s tournament, also advanced to the quarterfinals on Wednesday with his victory over Australian qualifier Luke Saville 6-4, 6-2.
The Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport remain the only professional tournament in North America held on grass and is the first stop on the summer tour in the United States leading up to the US Open at the end of August.
