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Jack Sock claims second title at ASB Classic

By The Sports Xchange
Fourth-seeded American Jack Sock claimed the second ATP title of his career, beating Joao Sousa of Portugal, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in Saturday's final of the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI
Fourth-seeded American Jack Sock claimed the second ATP title of his career, beating Joao Sousa of Portugal, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in Saturday's final of the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo

Fourth-seeded American Jack Sock claimed the second ATP title of his career, beating Joao Sousa of Portugal, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3, in Saturday's final of the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, New Zealand.

The 24-year-old Sock also reached the ASB final last year, but had to pull out of the title match due to illness.

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"Coming from Perth (and the Hopman Cup last week), I played a lot there so I felt good coming into this week, but you never know how your first tournament of the year can go," said Sock, whose only other victory came in the 2015 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships.

"I lost the second set today and I had to regroup and buckle down. In the off-season we worked a lot on that, regrouping and putting a lot of things behind you."

Sock, who had lost his last four finals, came back from a break and 40-15 down in the deciding set to give himself some momentum heading into the Australian Open next week.

After Sock lost serve in the third game of the last set, he broke back in the fourth and the match stayed on serve until the eighth game, when Sousa double-faulted at break point.

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Sock served out for the victory.

Sousa and Sock know each other well, having teamed in doubles and often practicing together, but meet only once previously -- when Sousa won in three sets last year in Madrid.

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