Sock Set to Make Pro Pickleball Debut

Jack Sock isn’t retiring from professional tennis yet.

He said he’s still trying to get back to where he was – a former top-10 singles and doubles player. A gold medal winner. One of the best American players in the game.

But he’s giving pickleball a go, too.

Sock is the second high-profile tennis star to enter a pro tournament, following Sam Querrey. Sock will be playing at the OS1st North Carolina Open May 4-7 in Charlotte, N.C.

And Sock isn’t just entering the tournament, he’s going to be playing with a pair of the most high-profile stars in the game, teaming up with Anna Leigh Waters in mixed doubles and Tyson McGuffin in men’s doubles. 

“I got lucky,” Sock said to PPA broadcaster Dave Fleming in a recent video interview. “I got the No. 1 player in the world – Anna Leigh Waters. I’m sure you’ve heard of her. Yeah, I lucked out there. And I’m playing with Mr. Energy Tyson McGuffin. I’ve gotten to know him pretty well. His personality with mine – there should be some good energy on the court. I’m not afraid to show some personality. I think there will be some chest bumps and some talking to the other side. Who knows?”

Sock said he’s always been interested in pickleball, but he became serious about playing competitively when he was asked to participate with Querrey and friend John Isner in a PPA competitive exhibition event last December in Las Vegas.

“I played pretty decently and showed some skill and knowledge of the game,” Sock told Fleming. “I was able to have some conversations with different pros. I went into that weekend excited to play. As a fan of pickleball, I can say I’ve watched a lot of streams and videos and appreciate the best players playing and what makes them so good. It was exciting for me, knowing I was decent and to see how I would stack up against the best players. I felt comfortable playing. In general, I expected to feel uncomfortable but I felt like, with a little time, I don’t see why I can’t compete and win. I played well there, but I’m better now.” 

Sock lives in Charlotte and said he’s played tennis at the Lifetime facility where the tournament will be played. Unlike Querrey, who has retired from tennis and is also playing Major League Pickleball, Sock is hoping to return to a top-50 ranked tennis player in the world. He said injuries, including a ligament tear in his thumb, have slowed his progress, but he’s confident he can still be successful on the ATP Tour.

“Tennis is still full-time and I’ve had a lot of messages and conversations to clarify that,” Sock said to Fleming. “At some point, in the future, I’ll probably partake in full-time pickleball.”