Jack Sock...does anyone else think it’s odd...
- Thread starter am1899
- Start date
FedLIKEnot
Professional
Well he has also worn the Zoom Zero so it would seem his tastes are a little all over the place. But yes as before the year I am pretty sure he had worn exclusively the Vapor line and when he was with Adidas he always wore there speed shoe....
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
Could it be that as he’s gone away from the Zoom Zero that he is trying out his other options of the Nike line before the U.S. Open? It seems clear the Zoom Zero is not working for him.
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AM75
Hall of Fame
I remember he was falling on hard all the time at the beginning of the year in his Vapors X. So maybe he's just uncomfortable in them still.
Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
I don't think he'll be at the U.S. Open long enough for his shoes to matter.
Really? In what way?
I returned the Zoom Zero I purchased from TW a few days ago. It is a shoe within a shoe - meaning there is a rubber sleeve into which you have to insert your foot. It was too small for me. Its width seemed much less than the apparent shoe width, which would have fit me.
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
He wore the ZZs the first six months of 2018 and now he has not - even as the shoe is just finally being released. That seems rather telling.
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Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
I think Sock may just be a head case. He's borderline unprofessional in many of his matches to the point of appearing to not care.
The Big Kahuna
Hall of Fame
I hope not, but there is no denying he has vastly underachieved in 2018 - whatever the reason.
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Rabbit
G.O.A.T.
This is exactly right! While other countries emphasize developing players on clay, the USTA is still basing on hard courts which produces "fast-food" tennis: big forehand and little else. The genealogy of this type tennis originated with Roddick and has morphed into what we see today, incomplete players who can make it, but not to the top.
The USTA/US Open should revert to green clay, a surface which is the best of all worlds. The new hydra courts play as true as hard courts but offer the physical benefits of clay for the player. The ball speed can be manipulated by how much water you feed the court with. Footing is sure and good on hydra courts as well.
The first Wimbledon champion who did not grow up on clay? Andre Agassi. That shows just how important proper foundation is to a tennis player.
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am1899
Legend
I agree that American players (especially men) tend to rise through the juniors and into the pros with huge serves and forehands and not much else. IMHO the surface is part of the problem...but not the only problem.
Remember the term “clay court specialist?” Those were pro players who avoided hard court tournaments like the plague, and usually went on complete walk about during grass court season. They couldn’t adapt their game style to the quicker courts. How could it be that players who learned to play on clay back then were so incapable of adapting? But today’s players, who have come up on the same clay courts, are suddenly so versatile and successful?
In recent years players from all over the world have flocked to Casal Sanchez and other academies in Spain - some of whom have been very successful. Murray and Kuznetsova come to mind right off the bat, but I know there have been others. Did those players move there to train simply because they have clay courts? Doubtful. Some of the more likely reasons players moved to Spain to train:
1. Superior coaching
2. An environment in which they would push and be pushed by a group of their peers (which, in fairness, they probably didn’t need to go to Spain to find)
3. They would work to develop the mindset and work ethic of a European competitive Tennis player
IMHO #3 is an important one, and one of USTA’s biggest problems to overcome, as it relates to developing more American hopefuls to get into the upper echelons of the pro game. I will always remember hearing Alan Schwartz talk about this very subject at an awards banquet. He said something profound, which I will never forget:
“American competitive tennis players play to win. European competitive tennis players play to eat.”
Remember the term “clay court specialist?” Those were pro players who avoided hard court tournaments like the plague, and usually went on complete walk about during grass court season. They couldn’t adapt their game style to the quicker courts. How could it be that players who learned to play on clay back then were so incapable of adapting? But today’s players, who have come up on the same clay courts, are suddenly so versatile and successful?
In recent years players from all over the world have flocked to Casal Sanchez and other academies in Spain - some of whom have been very successful. Murray and Kuznetsova come to mind right off the bat, but I know there have been others. Did those players move there to train simply because they have clay courts? Doubtful. Some of the more likely reasons players moved to Spain to train:
1. Superior coaching
2. An environment in which they would push and be pushed by a group of their peers (which, in fairness, they probably didn’t need to go to Spain to find)
3. They would work to develop the mindset and work ethic of a European competitive Tennis player
IMHO #3 is an important one, and one of USTA’s biggest problems to overcome, as it relates to developing more American hopefuls to get into the upper echelons of the pro game. I will always remember hearing Alan Schwartz talk about this very subject at an awards banquet. He said something profound, which I will never forget:
“American competitive tennis players play to win. European competitive tennis players play to eat.”
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haqq777
Legend
Pretty good friends with Kyrgios as well. Hmmmmm.....
The Kyrgios connection is definitely a factor, but I think he's content to do just enough at the moment to keep decent sized prize money checks coming in each week. For Sock, like Kyrgios and Tomic, the money is so good just giving their bare minimum that there's no reason to give more.
TennisHound
Legend
Yep. Plus it takes a little adjustment to get used to all that money. They all go through that money transition. Some handle it better than others.
Just watched Kyrgios throw the third set against Del Potro. Lol, what a head case
ron schaap
Hall of Fame
I thought this forums item is Pros gear?
Anyway Bolletieri knew how to make champions. Too bad he is gone bankrupt what i ve understood.
Despite the many fascilities and competitive players at the collegelevel Usa doesnt seem to deliver many topplayers any more.
I think it is remarkeble that especially Eastern European countries seem to deliver top female players. First i thought maybe its their built but Halep and Wozniaki (of Polish origin) arent tall at all. There are other European countries who have gravel courts and a lot of competition like Germany, yet who dont have many top players at the moment except Zverev (althought original from Russia) and some others, but relatively few.
I find it remarkeble too that after the haydays of Swedish tennis there arent any top players from this country any more.
So there must be other factors than gravel courts and training fascilities.
But what?
am1899
Legend
The thread started off talking about shoes and derailed.
I also find it interesting that Sweden has had such a drought of late. Maybe Ymer will pave the way for more pro up and comers like Raonic seems to have done in Canada.
The point I tried to make, in simple terms, is that IMHO surface plays less of a role in a nation churning out pro level players, than do factors like coaching, mindset, and motivation.
I also find it interesting that Sweden has had such a drought of late. Maybe Ymer will pave the way for more pro up and comers like Raonic seems to have done in Canada.
The point I tried to make, in simple terms, is that IMHO surface plays less of a role in a nation churning out pro level players, than do factors like coaching, mindset, and motivation.
