Sock Leads U.S. to Hopman Cup Victory Over Czechs
The United States won its first match at the Hopman Cup in Perth, Australia on Thursday, defeating the Czech Republic 2-1 behind the play of Jack Sock.
Sock squared off with Jiri Vesely in the men’s singles match, and dropped the opening set 4-6. But the American’s serve picked up in the second which allowed him to snag momentum, taking the second set 6-2.
Sock would go on take the third set in a tie-breaker for a 4-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) and credited the improvement of his serve for the win.
“I worked on it a lot in the offseason and it feels good right now, so hopefully I can keep it going,” Sock said after the match. “It’s the only thing that has really felt good all week.”
The Czech’s stayed alive thanks to the racket of Karolina Pliskova, who fought back from a set down to beat Vicky Duval 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.
But in the mixed-doubles rubber match, the Americans responded. After the first two sets were split, Sock & Duval won the deciding third 10-7 to clinch the Americans first victory at the Hopman Cup.
In the earlier match in Perth, Ukraine defeated the Australia Gold team 2-1.
