By Chris Oddo | Sunday, March 14, 2015
A serendipitious pelvic surgery? Sounds funny, but that's exactly what happened to Jack Sock this off-season.
Photo Source: Harry How/Getty/p>
An off-season pelvis surgery a blessing? Well, strange things happen for strange reasons, and whether Jack Socks’ late-season pelvic surgery was a blast of serendipity or the result of some faulty physiological wiring, the 22-year-old American is happy that his injury, and resulting surgery took him off the tour for the beginning of 2015.
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His absence has allowed him to get into what he feels is the best shape of his career, but more important, it allowed Sock to be home and close to his brother Eric during a period of extreme distress for the family.
Sock’s brother Eric suffered from pneumonia and Lemierre’s syndrome, a complication of a bacterial sore throat infection that can be debilitating. He was hospitalized for three weeks and languished on a ventilator for eight days.
“Yeah, it was a crazy time,” said Sock after yesterday’s three-set win over Yen-Hsun Lu. “You know, he's a warrior to get through that. It didn't look promising there for a little bit, and he was able to battle through. Now he's able to kind of get back to some of the things he likes to do, play a little tennis, play a little golf.
“It's kind of just starting back at the beginning now strength wise and everything, getting it all back. When you're in ICU for three weeks and on a ventilator for a week you lose a lot.”
Reportedly, during his post-match interview Sock was in tears as he recollected the trials that his brother had gone through:
Sock wants to keep the incident close to his heart, and he’s even written inspirational words on his shoes.
“Yeah, actually I have had it on my shoes,” Sock said. “Since he's been out of the hospital I have written, ‘For you, Eric,’ on my shoes. It's just a good reminder out there that obviously this is, you know, my career and my living and everything, but kind of puts in a different perspective and you're kind of playing for more. When you're out there and you get frustrated missing a ball or whatever it is, you can kind of think he's been through, you know, almost not making it to a kind of miraculous recovery. It Kind of puts things in perspective. Just go out there and enjoy it, and you can play a little more free.”
Sock is also injury-free, and he’s hoping that a two-month grind after his surgery will keep him that way.
“I was able to post-surgery did my rehab back in Kansas City with a guy there I trust to do that,” Sock said. “I was able to get almost nine weeks in a row, six days a week working out off the court training with a guy that works a lot with the [NFL’s Kansas City] Chiefs. I was able to do that and kind of get my body I think in shape where I haven't been in my career, so I feel good.”
But more than anything, The husky Nebraskan with a weapons-grade forehand is thankful that his unlucky injury ended up being a lucky stroke that allowed him to be near his brother for spiritual support in a difficult time.
“Obviously things happen for a reason sometimes, I think,” Sock said. “You know, had I been in Melbourne and gotten a phone call from my family that my brother was in the hospital, I don't know how and in what state of mind I would have been in to play tennis there. At the end of it I was actually very glad I was able to be home with my family and help them through that time. I think it changed a few things for me. I'm enjoying things a little more now. Definitely on the court just having a good time.”