Olympic gold medalist Jack Sock to retire after US Open, signs with pickleball tour

Jack Sock, an Olympic gold medalist and four-time Grand Slam champion, announced Sunday that he will retire from tennis following the U.S. Open. 

Sock’s retirement comes amid the Professional Pickleball Association’s announcement that the American tennis pro has now joined the tour. 

“To the 8-year-old boy who immediately fell in love with the sport of tennis, I hope I made you proud,” Sock wrote in the post. 

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“It’s been 14 years of memories I will never forget. From winning four Grand Slams, Olympic Gold and Bronze, top 10 rankings in singles and doubles and competing on the Davis Cup and Laver Cup teams, it’s been beyond what I could’ve ever dreamed.” 

Sock won four titles in men’s singles and reached a career high ranking of No. 8 in 2017, but his most notable achievements came in doubles. He won the men’s doubles titles at Wimbledon in 2014 and 2018, the same year he also claimed victory at the U.S. Open. 

He previously won the mixed doubles title at the U.S. Open in 2011. In 2016, he earned gold in mixed doubles at the Summer Games in Rio. 

“I’ve had the privilege of competing in Flushing Meadows since I was 17 and this year’s U.S. Open will be the final event of my career,” he continued. “I look forward to creating memories in front of the best fans in the world one last time!” 

While Sock is ending his career following the conclusion of the U.S. Open, some reports speculate that he has turned his attention to another sport. 

The Professional Pickleball Association shared a post on Instagram Sunday that Sock was the latest player to sign with the tour. 

“Is Jack Sock going to take professional pickleball by storm?” the caption read. 

Sock competed in his first pickleball tournament in May, when he won alongside partner Anna Leigh Waters. 

For now, Sock is competing at the U.S. Open in men’s doubles with partner John Isner, who also announced this month that he will be retiring after the final Grand Slam of the year.