PALM SPRINGS, CA - Quang Duong over Ben Johns wasn't the only upset in men's singles at The Masters on Thursday.

No. 33 seed Jack Sock made his presence felt, too, with a 4-11, 11-9, 11-2 come-from-behind victory over fourth-seeded Connor Garnett in the Round of 16.

“I love watching pickleball and I’ve seen a lot of the players play. Connor’s really good at the cat and mouse game and disguising balls,” explained Sock during his post-match interview on PickleballTV. “In singles, I find my forehand, play big, and end points when I can.”

Sock was eagerly anticipating the matchup with Garnett to test himself against one of the best in the business. 

The former tennis star put in plenty of work in recent months to improve his game, so he appreciated the challenge.

“Nice thing about the 33 seed is that I’m the underdog, and I hope I’m proving a point to be at least a 32 seed next time,” said Sock with a laugh.

Garnett, meanwhile, is known for possessing one of the best backhands in the sport, but Sock’s incredible reach paid dividends in terms of denying his opponent that option.

It appears that the 31-year-old Nebraska native is already solidifying his place in the picklesphere.

“My main goal for this new career is having as much fun as possible, and hopefully it’s easy to see that out there. My goal is to enjoy being on a court again and get back to the charisma and personality I can show. When I do that, I play looser,” said Sock.

Sock also revealed some of his pre-match strategy on-air with PickleballTV hosts Kamryn Blackwood and Matt Manasse.

“I wasn't drilling for singles or 2-on-1 drilling. It was a lot of keep mastering the soft game and the gameplay at the kitchen. I love improving and getting better, and it’s just a lot of fun to be out there,” he added.

Up next for Sock is a quarterfinal matchup against seventh-seeded Jay Devilliers.