Sock makes Tour Finals, wins Paris Masters title
Goerges wows with comeback in Zhuhai, clinches trophy
PARIS, Nov 5, (AFP): American Jack Sock battled back from a set down to beat qualifier Filip Krajinovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 and win the Paris Masters title on Sunday, snatching a place at the World Tour Finals.
The 16th seed ended his Serbian opponent’s fairytale run in the French capital to break into the world’s top 10 for the first time and take the last place for London from Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
Despite dropping a tight opening set, the 25-year-old upped his game and stormed through the decider to claim the biggest title of his career.
“To be standing here after being so far down in my first match is incredible,” Sock, who trailed 5-1 in the third set of his opener against Briton Kyle match in game five.
The world number 22 saved it with a drop volley, but the underdog quickly created another opportunity and Sock gifted him the break with a double fault.
Sock immediately hit back as Krajinovic, also 25, produced a sloppy game, finished off with a wild forehand into the tramlines.
But Krajinovic, who will rise to 33 in the world rankings on Monday, brought up a set point in the 12th game as he made the most of his freedom to attack the Sock serve at 6-5 ahead, and the American dumped a forehand into net.
Jack Sock of the United States holds the trophy after he defeated Filip Krajinovic of Serbia during their final match of the Parisa Masters tennis tournament at the Bercy Arena in
Paris, France on Nov 5. (AP)
The enormity of the situation appeared to hit Krajinovic at the start of the second set and Sock broke in the opening game.
The top-spin on Sock’s forehand was causing all sorts of problems, helping secure a double-break as he looked set to take the match to a decider.
He took his foot off the pedal to give one of the breaks straight back, but closed out the set with a confident hold to love.
Sock had come from a set down to win the pair’s only previous meeting at a Challenger in the United States three years ago, but he failed to strike another
Julia Goerges of Germany serves against CoCo Vandeweghe of the US during the women’s singles final at the Zhuhai Elite Trophy tennis tournament in Zhuhai, in south China’s Guangdong province on Nov 5. (AFP)
early blow in the third set as Krajinovic held after a lengthy first game.
The vital breakthrough came shortly afterwards though when Sock crunched two magnificent passing shots from well behind the baseline to leave Krajinovic stunned.
That was the moment that the momentum the qualifier had built up through the week was finally halted, and he fell further behind when Sock stretched to send a backhand flying into the corner.
He wasted no time in wrapping up victory with a run of six games on the spin as Krajinovic fired long on match point.
In Zhuhai, China, Germany’s Julia Goerges stormed to victory at the WTA Elite Trophy on Sunday, hammering number two seed CoCo Vandeweghe in the final to claim her second title of the year.
The 29-year-old made an unexpected comeback in the first set to take down the fiery Vandeweghe 7-5, 6-1 in one hour and 20 minutes in Zhuhai, China, as fellow German and tennis legend Steffi Graf watched from the stands.
With the title, which comes on the heels of a win in Moscow a fortnight ago, Goerges is set to end the season with a career-high ranking of world number 14.
She joins other Elite Trophy winners Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams.
“There is no better way to end this season,” she told journalists after the match.
“I’m just happy. I think I have not really any words to describe right now. I think I still can’t believe it... It’s just amazing.”
Vandeweghe started off strong in the first set, easily breaking seventh seed Goerges in the second game and holding serve in the third to give her a 3-0 lead.
But Goerges clung on, finally breaking serve in the ninth game and setting herself up for a fantastic comeback.
A fuming Vandeweghe threw her racquet on the ground in frustration before finally losing the set 7-5.
Goerges went on to dominate in the second to win seven games in a row as Vandeweghe seemed to lose focus.
The German then claimed the match with a third break of serve in the second set.
Asked how she felt about receiving the trophy from tournament ambassador Graf, Goerges said it was “a very special moment”.
“I think she was very happy to give the trophy to a German player,” she said laughing, adding that the exchange, which included getting a picture, “was probably worth it more than millions”.
Goerges had enjoyed a smooth road to the final, seeing off Slovakia’s number one Magdalena Rybarikova, top seed Kristina Mladenovic and Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova — also in straight sets.
But it wasn’t all bad news for Vandeweghe, who by reaching the final overtook France’s Kristina Mladenovic