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Match details
Fixture: (1) Rafael Nadal vs Jack Sock
Date: 4 August 2021
Tournament: Citi Open 2021
Round: Second Round (Round of 32)
Venue: Washington DC, United States
Category: ATP 500
Surface: Outdoor hard
Prize money: $1,895,290
Live telecast: USA - Tennis Channel | UK - Amazon Prime Video | India - YouTube: TennisTV
Rafael Nadal vs Jack Sock preview
Rafael Nadal makes his return to the ATP tour this week at the Citi Open in Washington. The top seed faces home favorite Jack Sock in his opener on Wednesday.
The Spaniard has been out of action for nearly two months following his semi-final defeat by rival Novak Djokovic at Roland Garros.
Nadal has had a rather average season by his lofty standards. The 35-year-old won titles in Rome and Barcelona, but he failed to reach the final of any of the first three Grand Slams of the season for the first time since 2016.
His recent form on hardcourts is nothing to write home about either. The Spaniard blew a two-set lead against Stefanos Tsitsipas in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year.
Prior to that, he lost in the semifinals of the ATP Finals to Daniil Medvedev. Nadal was serving for the match in the second set against the Russian but ended up losing the encounter in three sets.
He will hope to turn his fortunes around in the American capital ahead of the US Open.
Jack Sock, meanwhile, has struggled for form and fitness the last few seasons. The American broke into the top 10 of the ATP rankings in 2017, but is now ranked 192nd in the world.
But he has posted some positive results of late. Sock won the Little Rock Challenger in June and then went on to reach the quarterfinals in Newport last month.
He was rather lucky to come through his opener in Washington. Sock trailed by a set against Yoshito Nishioka but the Japanese was forced to retire due to a calf injury.
Rafael Nadal vs Jack Sock head-to-head
The second-round encounter in Washington DC will be the sixth match between the two players. Rafael Nadal leads the head-to-head 5-0 over Jack Sock.
The pair last met at the Laver Cup way back in 2017, when Nadal eked out a win in the match tiebreak.
Rafael Nadal vs Jack Sock prediction
Following a long layoff, Rafael Nadal might be a little rusty coming into this match. But he is still the firm favorite.
Sock, on his part, has the kind of game that can trouble the 35-year-old Spaniard. The American is an aggressive baseliner who possesses a powerful forehand. His serve could also be a threat against Nadal on faster surfaces. Sock also has a solid net-game and should look to move forward every time he gets the chance.
But his backhand remains a liability and will be repeatedly targeted by the Spaniard's top-spin forehand. Moreover, Sock has not played a high-level opponent in months and could struggle to raise his game.
As long as the Spaniard settles into the match and finds his rhythm, he should not have much of a problem advancing to the next round.
Prediction: Rafael Nadal to win in straight sets.
What is the foot injury that has troubled Rafael Nadal over the years? Check here
