The BB&T Atlanta Open kicked off earlier this week, which means that the US Open Series is officially underway.  That also means it is that time of the season where the American players find themselves under an even greater microscope of scrutiny as the home fans anxiously look for a new leader to carry the torch.  One player who is keen to emerge as a worthy candidate to carry that torch is Jack Sock.

Sock has been on more than a few radars since turning professional in 2011. After a flawless high school career that included winning four consecutive state championships and a fairly successful career as a junior that saw him win the 2010 US Open boys’ title, there was ample reason to feel optimistic about his chances in the upper echelons of the sport.  The young native of Nebraska with the big forehand and more than a little pop on his serve was also reminiscent of his tennis idol, Andy Roddick. 

Unfortunately for Sock, his arrival and subsequent rise on the ATP World Tour so far has been less pronounced than that of former world No. 1 Roddick. Outside of winning the US Open mixed doubles title with Melanie Oudin in his first year as a professional, it has been slim pickings for the American.  But after a steady diet of success in the Challenger Tour, Sock has worked himself into a position where he has the opportunity to play primarily at the elite level on a week-to-week basis.  The next step is to string together some wins at that level and find a way to break new ground.  The time may be riper than ever for Sock to do just that.

This year’s Wimbledon may well have marked the start of a new point in Sock’s career.  He paired up with Canadian Vasek Pospisil at the eleventh hour to enter the Gentlemen’s Doubles competition, and what a duo they turned out to be.  The pair defeated the second- and fifth-seeded teams to advance to the championship match, where they shocked the top-seeded tandem of Bob and Mike Bryan in five sets to win the coveted title.  The victory seems to have buoyed his spirits.  Sock went on to reach the semifinals of the singles competition in Newport, a run that included a win over top American man John Isner, which sets him up to potentially have a good summer on the hard courts.

There is no question that Sock could make good on that potential, too, as shown by what he has already done in Atlanta.  He loves hard courts, and he thrives on the good vibes from the American home crowd.  It is also no secret that confidence, like the kind Sock gained competing on the grass, can breed wins.  In addition to that, Sock should feel free to swing away over the course of the coming weeks.  He had a number of early losses during the 2013 US Open Series, which means there is plenty to gain and little to lose this year.  Along those lines, with so many of the top guns primarily focused on the Masters events in Canada and Cincinnati, he should have a decent look at going deep at the smaller tune-ups heading into the US Open.

Whether or not Jack Sock is able to take advantage of his current situation remains unknown.  Time will tell if he is truly ready to take that next step in his young career.  He is poised to do so, and he has gotten himself off to a good start in Atlanta.  But he has to continue to build on that.  Hopefully for his sake and the sake of fans of American tennis everywhere, he’ll prove able to deliver the kind of results so many are hoping for.