(courtesy of USTA)
2010 US Open boys’ champion Jack Sock yesterday knocked off French veteran Marc Gicquel, 6-3, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, to become the first USTA Boys’ 18s national champion to win his first-round match since Justin Gimelstob in 1995, a streak of 15 consecutive losses. Sock also won the USTA Boys’ 18s title in 2010, losing to Marco Chiudinelli in four sets in the men’s singles draw here before going on his run to the boys’ singles title. Since that time, Sock has played regularly on the USTA Pro Circuit and won a fourth straight Kansas high school state title before turning pro this summer.
Also yesterday, Alex Bogomolov Jr., the No. 4 American and the No. 44 player in the world, rebounded from two sets down to edge 2011 NCAA champion Steve Johnson, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3; 2005 US Open semifinalist Robby Ginepri advanced with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-7, 6-1 victory over Joao Souza; and John Isner defeated Marcos Baghdatis for the third time in four weeks to move into the second round for the third straight year.