Jack Sock playing pickleball.
Jack Sock competing at the PPA Mesa Arizona Cup. PPA Tour

Sock downs McGuffin in three games in Arizona

MESA, AZ – Seventeenth-seeded Jack Sock continues to make a name for himself in pro pickleball.

Sock claimed an 11-7, 9-11, 11-2 victory over No. 3 seed Tyson McGuffin in the Round of 16 on Thursday at the Mesa Arizona Cup.

Sock is advancing in singles to play either underdog Cason Campbell or Dylan Frazier.

“I executed the strategy I wanted, to find my forehands and hit winners, and I especially did that in game three,” said Sock. “With more tournaments and more experience, things will get better and I can give a good battle to anybody. I left it all out there against Tyson.”

Thanks to his tennis background, Sock has a killer forehand and incredible power that proved too much for McGuffin to handle.

“I’m not too scared of any of the guys in my draws, so I’m happy with this win,” he stated.

It shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Sock's confidence is especially high right now after besting a veteran opponent. 

“I feel like I’m pretty decent at pickleball. I put in a lot of time at my court in Charlotte with Shicky [Collin Shick] and Brooke [Buckner], and we work on the craft a lot. I may not have been playing pickleball for years, but I feel like I know what I’m doing out there,” affirmed Sock.

Shick, who was sitting courtside for the match, is Sock’s doubles partner. 

“The guy’s got one of the best forehands in tennis, and obviously now in pickleball, so when he’s ripping those forehands, he’s unstoppable,” praised Shick.