Sock claims title as Raonic pulls out
Top seed suffers hamstring injury
DELRAY BEACH — Jack Sock, America’s top-ranked player, is brimming with confidence and has repeatedly said that he enters every tournament with the intention of winning it.
While the third-seeded Sock achieved his goal Sunday afternoon, he certainly didn’t wak eup expecting the Canadian he’d be facing on the other side of the net would be Jesse Levine, a retired pro from Boca Raton, in a one-set exhibition, and not Milos Raonic, the fourth-ranked player in the world.
When the top-seeded Raonic, 26, got out of bed, he felt a sharp pain in his right leg and couldn’t walk without a limp. After a few hours of treatment, the oft-injured Raonic realized he’d have to pull out of the final with a slightly torn hamstring, thus handing the Delray Beach Open title to Sock. Raonic sustained a similar thigh injury in his quarterfinal loss to Rafael Nadal at the Australian Open in January, and only began practicing again a few weeks before making his tournament debut in Delray.
“It’s disappointing in a lot of ways,” said Raonic, who first felt discomfort early in the second
set of his hard-fought semifinal victory over Juan Martin del Potro on Saturday night.
“I’ve been unfortunate with injury and I try to do everything I can do to prevent them. It’s been three tournaments in a row this year that I’ve sustained some kind of muscle damage after each one. It’s obviously disappointing just the sole fact you’re one match away from a title and it’s not like the second or third round.
“It came down to three sets and to not be able to compete, that’s not easy to accept.”
This is the ninth time in his seven-year career that the 6-foot-5 Raonic, has either retired mid-match or pulled out before the match, including twice at the Miami Open (2012-13).
This was the first time Raonic pulled out of a final, and the first time any ATP final wasn’t played since Roger Federer withdrew from the ATP Finals (London) in 2014.
Sock, 24, who won $90,605 and will rise from No. 21 to a career-high 18th, was surprised when Raonic came to him seconds before he began his pre-match practice session.
“It’s not ideal for either side,” said Sock. “I caught a very small amount of his match last night and thought he wasmoving OK, so I was definitely surprised. It’s very unfortunate for him and I wish him a speedy recovery.
“We’ve always had good battles and I was definitely looking forward to the challenge. On the flip side of that, it’s a title. Obviously, I’d be more excited and full of energy if I’d gone out and done it on the courts.”
It’s only the sixth time an American haswon this tournament, but the second year in a row (Sam Querrey). With Raonic pulling out if the match, the top-seed curse continued as only Mardy Fish won as the top seed in 2009.
Raonic, who has eight ca- reer titles but none since January 2016 (Brisbane), will pull out of Acapulco next week, and is uncertain about his status for upcoming Masters 1000s at Indian Wells and Miami.
Sock, who won a gold medal in mixed doubles at the Rio Olympics and a Wimbledon doubles title in 2014, said he would no longer play doubles at Grand Slams to focus on singles and his rising rank.
“That’s the goal,” Sock said of cracking the Top 10. “I’m entering tournaments every week trying to win. I feel tennis-wise I’m physically and mentally that I’m ready to make that jump. I think my tennis is kind of speaking for myself so far this year.
“It’s a weird way to win a title today, but two on the year and my only loss this year is to [11th-ranked Jo-Winfried Tsonga ].… If I keep going, why not?”
After Sock won his playful exhibition match 6-3 over Levine, he hurried to the Honda Open about 30 miles up to the Florida Tpk. to cheer on his friend, Rickie Fowler, who held a fourstroke lead after the third round.
“If he’s able to take the title there, I’m sure we’ll meet up and have a congratulatory water,’’ joked Sock.
Ram, Klaassen take doubles
Rajeev Ram, who lost in the singles final here last year, won the doubles title along with partner Raven Klaasen, as they defeated third-seeded Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi, 7-5, 7-5.
The second-seeded duo takes home $29,010.
“I got a smaller [trophy vase] one last year,’’ Ram joked. “It’s nice to get a bigger one.’’…
The final was sold out (3,500 tickets), and the tournament will announce their ticket policy for those disappointed fans on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. via yellow tennis ball.