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Jack Sock out of 2015 Australian Open with injury

By Geoff Nichols

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Jack Sock out of 2015 Australian Open with injury

Just a matter of days after Lob and Smash reported that the entire Top 100 in men’s tennis had entered the 2015 Australian Open, we have had news of the first withdrawal from the competition. Jack Sock, the 22 American hailing from Nebraska, posted a picture on Twitter that gave a strong indication that he was due for a spell on the sidelines.

The American, who had reached a career high ranking of world number 42, posted a picture of himself recovering from hip surgery, admirably looking to the future when he must be cursing his bad fortune. He stamped his authority on the tour in 2014 with an attacking game style that drew many plaudits and his presence will be missed at the opening major of the year.

His forehand is one of the best in the game right now and many have tipped him for future success at the very top of men’s tennis. He showed he is not afraid of the big occasion, winning the 2014 Wimbledon doubles title alongside Varek Pospisil, beating the Bryan brothers in an epic five-set showdown that ended with Sock whipping a stunning return down the line.

He also experienced Grand Slam success at the US Open in 2011, this time in the Mixed Doubles partnering fellow-American Melanie Oudin. Despite being a teenager at the time, Sock was displaying early signs of filling the void in American tennis on the men’s side after the retirement of Andy Roddick.

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When looking for the positives for Sock, he will look at the points that he is defending from a second round run last year and realise that his ranking should not take too much of a hit. He can now fully focus on recovering for the American hard-court swing that will be a great platform for him to start the season with a flourish on home turf.

I think 2015 can still be a break-out season for Sock, who has many admirers for the way he plays. Breaking into the Top 32 is a realistic aim to have achieved heading into the 2015 US Open, where being one of the seeds will give him a much more favourable draw and a chance to make a run beyond the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time, something he is more than capable of.

Next: Lob and Smash 2015 Grand Slam Predictions

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