Ben Johns vs Jack Sock at the Veolia Austin Open

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Watch the Men’s Singles Semi Finals match: (1) Ben Johns vs (12) Jack Sock at the Veolia Austin Open

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feel and control to power the game’s getting faster let’s go Jack here we go Jack sock to serve let’s play pickle ball wow just almost wiped out back there that was uh we talked about how athletic he is right it’s a quality stumble on point one for Jack s z z out yeah look look for Ben to to often a pretty high clip drive with the forehand and he mixes in more drops uh from the backand side and that is just pretty I mean it’s not even the optimal contact point and he still was able to put what do you mean by that so people understand well he he he can hit shots from different paddle positions most players can’t do that they need a consistent in the exact same spot he can he can be reaching or that last ball was almost next to his knee and he still comes up with the goods and what a surprise joking with the crowd and uh here at 01 wow big swing in the midcourt on the twoy from Ben well it deserved a wow because that’s not something you say every day when you are talking about Ben John’s but he has been going to the two-hander in a variet y of situations lately the Cobra comes out early for Jackson so does the tongue as he’s not thrilled with that one sailing long yeah and if we do get into cat Mouse that’s going to be interesting when they’re both at the kitchen line cuz Ben loves to be there that’s a nice job tried the forehand drive early uh an early point and that time takes a little bit off catching the the left foot of sock one side out Miss hit and that’s something I saw in an earlier round Ben is looking to pair the two-handed backhand drive up the line with the crosscourt roll shot and that is just beautiful you mentioned the fear hand people have said well what’s it going to be called in pickle ball fans sent it to him I’m going to give it to him that’s the Jackhammer right there oo let’s go I mean awesome track down but uh if he is no longer in the picture that’s a problem yeah I love it when the athletes are off screen 1 two just cleared the kitchen line so if that a lot of people get confused by the rule if that lands on the line of the kitchen that’s actually a fault as it’s considered part of the kitchen that one just cleared it oh and waves the Cobra again and wins a cat and mouse that is a interesting development check mark for the first true cat and mouse point of the match to jack o I mean degree of difficulty in what he just tried to do is enormous yeah but the the movement to get around it he he’s not going to stop he’s not and in doubles he’s shown a propensity to to kind of let the backand happen more frequently it is not going to happen in singles oh and a little pretty side out throw the whole body One Direction and just drag that paddle through that’s nice yeah I mean it it’s just so deceptive just completely Frozen and I I don’t blame him at all and the wind just drags that wide and you saw Jack even take a moment before he served as a gust kicked up and the wind is not slowing down today so this will be the elements will have to deal [Applause] with 2 two reach for days yeah and I talked about that two-hander roll crosscourt for Ben John’s this time he pokes it up the line but uh the reach and the ability to get forward and take that ball out of the air was well done for Jack sock again just pulled a little too far inside out yeah that’s that’s happened a couple times now and yeah who knows maybe in neutral conditions that ball stays in but we are not playing in neutral conditions today this is not not even close to that that that is another ball that and you can see if you look over at the tents and the all the stuff along the underneath our jib camera there that wind is picking up two two oh no he did not oh that’s d That’s not supposed to happen that is not supposed to happen my goodness what a shot and usually you know in the beautiful Hill Country some of that breeze picks up throughout the afternoon oh boy he’s whipping twoy winners now too look out yeah if if that happens on the forehand side uh we’ll you know we’ll say nice shot and play another point but but if he compared that with the two-hander like that uh it’s it’s danger time for everyone in the draw might have wanted to let that bounce at him yeah I think so and I love what he did with the initial shot to take a little Pace off but uh Ben first volley and it’s it’s a good one tried to pull it Cross Court ran out of real estate yeah multiple times now making me look bad Ben J’s as he’s putting that that two-handed backhand straight ahead uh pretty frequently oh and he wins it again Cross Court so holding up very well in the cat and mouse and and it’s dangerous when you’re in that neutral cat and mouse rally when you pull it crosscourt you’re opening things up for your opponent so it better be an amazing shot and it has been so quite a duel here at human Championship Court just pulled wide there and what a slide from Jack I think he left some tire marks on the on the court right there he’s taking a sweet time here pulls that inside end down the line and that is deadly especially short return yeah it’s it’s just great just great paddle head control we know he whips the RPMs on it are fantastic but when you can control it it’s almost like a basball player controlling the barrel through the strike zone from a variety of spots and that was not a replay folks exact same shot exact same result and uh Jack sock up 73 and the question was could he control a more powerful paddle he certainly can big check mark oh he wanted that and there would have been a lot of chatter with the crowd had that made it but catches the net there and Ben is not phased by any of this just going to go back and play his game 37 like it it doesn’t matter if the player holds crosscourt when when Jack hits the ball it’s like whoa Ben held he made the right decision and he’s still seven feet away for from contacting that crosscourt winner from sock 73 another just whip through 83 impressive yeah and a variety of return spots for John’s a couple floaters to the forehand couple times trying to pin it to the backhand that time short in the court and not a lot of them are working early that was just enough to to make it tough he he’s he’s still going to hit a forehand but he he made that one much more tough put the volley to the open court and and on the full run even Jack sock it’s it’s not a situation you want to be in I mean the man ran to San Antonio to hit a forehand there out just a bit lazy on the footwork there from Ben I think he might have had a shuffle step in there goes for for the one step lunge and uh Force the air 83 side out I mean that might be the first one that’s caught the net yeah it’s I mean I’ve been on the court with him one time it’s so uncomfortable you you just don’t know where he’s going 3 side out Jack staying back after a great serve from Ben John’s missing the approach shot right into the tape looking to come forward flat start for the one seed side out great depth on the return so hit a little lull here but if you’re up five you’re okay with a lull it’s how is there going to be a push back from Ben no I mean Jack sck will’ll trade point at a time or two points at a time back and forth for the duration of this match I mean this game and just a hint of frustration in the top seed swing right there yeah it’s it’s hard to pick up on his frustration but it’s it’s definitely there right [Applause] now wow yeah left left some more tire marks and we’ll see if possibly sock loses the next point after running back and forth as the Puppet Master Ben John’s had him on on the Shing hello Timothy Nelson uh just wide on that one and a very half-hearted approach shot as he just kind of bunned it to the middle of the court but somehow got away with it yeah I can’t see between the balls between me and the line did you see it she was blocked calls out side out Down live there so I mean there were a couple balls that were maybe I closer to the line than the one that was called W that was crazy how close yeah that first ball I thought in real time it was out but he he played it and didn’t really react meaning Ben John’s so here we are wow cuz that was a interesting backhand volley Choice yeah usually when it goes up high to the backhand he’ll clobber it with two hands or look to neutralize with that backhand slice and he had a good look meaning Jack s on that next ball must have taken a funky bounce as he looks down at the court point so Jack has been in control and had a lot of chances to just end this game one and now within three is Ben John’s 5 and now three for Ben Jan chatting with the fans chatting with his buddy Eric Hott r on the bench I mean he’s he’s just chatting and having a good old time and that’s pickle wall folks tried to go down the line again with the backhand but floated on him yeah it’s it’s it’s an interesting decision given that’s the the forehand of Jack sock see if he possibly changes his spots but I mean I will I will question quite a few players decisions in this seat but I I’m very hesitant to question anything Ben John’s does yeah cuz that was reviewed through the algorithm of Colin John’s too and Ben gets the revenge on the cat and mouse yeah two crosscourt rollers in that cat and mouse first one sock was able to take out of the air second ball hit the cord and took off uh just a you know a one or two% chance ATP from sock and that goes wide and Ben has come all the way back and floaty and slow is not the worst thing in the world when it lands three Ines from the Baseline for all you guys at home sure you can hit it with Pace that’s great depth is such a great thing to add to that though side out some of these short returns have actually ended up being a problem so here we go eight a piece Jack has not scored a point for a while here so can he find it not even close yeah not there and I would of course expect most players to Target the backhand more than the forehand to Ben John’s but I would really look to Target it with some of these these two-handed back hands we’ve seen throughout game one you beat me on a couple of these whipping them over there not anymore yeah and and I said when you’re up at the kitchen when you when you go hard crosscourt like that you leave a lot of court open and Jack has certainly had mixed results with that shot but that last volley from Ben John’s too good it was 83 sock at 245 it’s 98 Ben at 254 98 and what a runaround inside out from Johns and he is at a game point yeah sock in a tough position after that return he has to look for the inside end forehand of Ben JS and Ben goes right back behind him and that t- serve is working very well and Jack sock despite being up 83 drops the next eight points to Ben Johns in the top seed takes game number one the official ball of the PPA tour don’t hit me on my phone like [Music] love big H On The Rise here so here we go Ben Johns that’s a quality start for sock oh no it’s deep yeah okay it was okay it was deep and pepper that backhand Ben he he had a variety of different shots on the backhand side some floating some a little more linear tighter to the net but it wasn’t super clean on that side so I would love to see to see sock just pepper it gets a miss you don’t get extra points if it lands in the little trough on the net there Ben and uh Jack breaks that ugly string of consecutive points on the other side hey we’re in Texas trough it’s a good one worked it in there and that looks like the beginning of game number one and I mean he is fully stepping into that ball short return again on the backand side and to Target the benj Jon’s backand I believe more at the back of the Court than the front of the court and just absolutely Wicked with the Jackhammer yeah that’s that that’s catch on it certainly is [Music] 3 oh Jack read that uh but again sometimes you’re too good of an athlete he overran it Adam yeah and uh pretty good Pace from his opponent as well which which made that very tough and it’s not just the camera nodding in agreement with what you just said that’s the wind there folks that is a tough place to live cuz Ben’s like I would love to partake in a table for two at the kitchen yeah and it’s it’s never easy but I I would like to see sock bunt that up the line one more time and wait for a better spot to go crosscourt oh Jack is frozen but uh wind pulled it wide he he got a chuckle though yeah he got a chuckle from Ben You Know Jack loves playing those mental games even though a lot of it’s light-hearted most players give a reaction Ben doesn’t too often but he did there that is pretty and the speed to get to the first one and be able to do something with it love the double down right there cuz he easily could have pulled that second ball crosscourt and I think Ben was thinking he was going to do so so a nice job of going to the same spot twice for sock you don’t attack the body of Ben John’s and singles well maybe you do and then you look at them after you’re done trying to get more conversation you get one yeah that’s it he he want he on the more the marrier for for Jack sock when it comes to interacting with his opponents Miss V and uh what a start for Jack here after the wind continues to cause trouble he has been able to hit through it and around it start out yeah kind of stopped to swing so you know you usually don’t like to decelerate once you start that swing he was looking for the very very nasty angle and couldn’t find it wow uh a very poor drop shot there from uh Jack but uh Ben misses his secret sauce right there the the back like I said backand Target that at the back of the court I’m not sure I would do so at the front of the court but it’s working and the hat stays in the star down goes with it and uh he’s back yeah what paddle head speed and spin cuz that is crossing when it’s passing bin it’s about head high and it still drops in six Ines inside the Baseline you know if that’s a flatter ball that’s well out so we were at 83 in game one sock here we are 71 can he close this time out yeah I’m going to I’m going to say yes similar situation uh a little bit better for sock in this game too 71 to 83 but I I think I think this is going three Dave just wi there a little bunt short hop uh from Ben there to the forehand to the forehand and he is not wavering from that strategic play and let’s see if we see another T serve to try to find the backand or at least make him go for a run just wide yeah sock took a I wouldn’t say an elongated look but he took a little PE that ball and decided not to challenge I mean I’ve seen Ben make some Curious decisions that might be at the top of the list yeah the the the short hop plain approach shot to the middle of the court is it can’t be the play can it it it can’t be can’t the algorithm got messed up there and that inside in is just nasty yeah and when he can pair it with a mid Pace inside out that is a ridiculous amount of court for his opponent to cover so good news you got to nine this time Jack the question is can you get to 11 no one’s having more fun in pickle ball right now than that dude speed and then the ability to find an angle and keep it in the body control mids slide to come up with a shot like that man that’s good I mean I’d blow a tire and there’d be seven different ligaments just game point for sock whoa is right jack what happened there yeah we we’ll just say that got away for a moment but he did get to the all important 10 here so that’s a much different animal and then a lengthy paddle clap from Jack there yeah it was full guess he he knew his shot was poor meaning Jack sock so he’s just going to guess inside in and that’s that’s not where Ben went that not anywhere near where he went so great shot by the the top player in the world well that was a big cut at a drop shot there yeah he’s looking for a maximum amount of spin 51 side out great first volley from sock gets the ball back so uh got stuck at an even number in game number one that being eight he’s at 10 can he get down to 11 and force the third [Applause] game the answer is he sure can Adam Stone said we’re playing three we are playing three oh and uh there we go as you heard new ball we use a new ball before every game starts so yeah that’s a good eye a lot of life with a new ball every ball that’s ever been made gets a little softer as it gets played on more so expect a lot of driving and quick hitting points especially early in game [Applause] three just outrageous from Ben Johns and a reaction from him early here in game three that’s a special reaction he doesn’t give that too often that can really spring board him forward Jack just couldn’t absolutely clobber that overhead because of the wind a pretty man sure I I love the forehand but we love a lot of Jack’s forehand that two-handed backhand up the line into the corner that was more impressive to me but a Top Spin drop shot right in the kitchen is is pretty good too pretty good too I mean we are going to need to repaint the cord on this side that’s the the slide inside for Jack checking the there’s yeah there’s not a thing as non-marking shoes when you’re that athletic if their Court shoes are not you’re going to leave a mark when you’re moving like that jeez that was interesting who was going to come in uh the Jack stayback and Ben just slowly worked his way forward but didn’t have to hit a first volley yeah cuz I think he’s preparing his passing shot and then went wait jack isn’t there I’ll go forward a good decision to go back up the line and that was not a decision from Jack he just had to stay back with how good that serve was yeah we talk about it all the time man if you are going to be a good singles player your serve has to be a weapon I mean you just shouldn’t be able to do that I mean it’s six Ines off the ground on the full run past the best player in the world there’s like five different reasons why that’s ridiculous I mean look where he came from there wow that’s really good uhoh again is the uh sole of the shoe it’s probably uh worn down quite a bit cuz that’s the second time we’ve seen him slip I believe it was the very first point of the match trying to squeak those back to confidence CU you do not want to think about your feet you want to move effortlessly the best return he’s ever hit he almost fell over I mean the wind got a hold of that the bounce was odd and yet he hit it Corner Pocket yeah and and like you said Dave there’s variables of Plenty out there you don’t want to be thinking about your shoes and your footwork so you’re going to want to limit those variables as much as possible that got in the jet stream so Jack Returns the favor with a big serve one three I think I think Jack might might have made a permanent paddle switch here not positive but I don’t think I’ve seen extra errors creep in or or or him have you know an inability to control that paddle it looks just fine to me I mean slipping and sliding all over the place and hits another winner then grab the back of his leg that I’m concerned about yeah the outside of the left knee I believe yeah we we just injuries are the worst oh we had an awkward step on the push off looks to be okay but injuries are the worst and we don’t want to see any of these players have physical issues that serve is hammered so nice recovery here gets two can he get this tied up will switch ends at six tried to drop it in there just couldn’t yeah he took a bit off it was a good response from jack off because we saw great emotion from Ben on the first point and then got out to a 3oh lead so to get two back and stop that momentum is well done I mean the fact that you get a paddle on it is good the problem is Jack Sak is staring at you yeah and bunt up the line slow again on the two-handed backand from Ben John’s and I don’t think it’s cost him near as much as it should in my opinion no out that’s that’s what a middle turn can do is that that have your opponent try for too much to kind of create an angle out of nothing so I like the spot on that return for Ben and Ben has just been driving that serve sort of with a little cut away into that corner just to make Jack run and then has greeted him with a ball on the forehand not to get himself figure it out here let’s see he can come up with a big return right here that’s good start one-handed roll yeah when you take that that timeout at 4 you want to hope there’s not another break of action very quickly after that at the end change cuz that means you just lost two Mo side out that’s a shot he was making earlier in both games one and two but just pulled it a little wide yeah it didn’t need to be that perfect as his court positioning when he struck it was very good winner of this gets the winner of Christian Alshon and fedo staer in the other men’s semifinal yeah don’t sleep on the speed and Court coverage of Ben well Jack and Ben are chatting and Ben is acting like he’s going to serve Ben is serving left-handed they just played they just played a left-handed point in a semifinal I’m not kidding [Applause] wow this is not a exhibition folks now we got Ben with the ATP I thought our cameras got flipped for a minute I’m like Ben isn’t left-handed oh yes he is God why did Jo Jack have to miss that with the Lefty I wanted to see the point so 82 now I mean I I think I think jacka’s the only person that can get bent to do that that’s I mean without question what is happening here folks I mean all these Grinders and the qualifiers they’re like I just want to make one Championship Sunday ever they see him playing Left Hand and they got to be shaking their heads look at this a smile on his face before you just do not see this this is awesome sails just deep and part of this is very purposeful with Jack like how do I get this guy maybe a tad bit off his game even though he lost the left-handed point [Applause] so to the heavens I me they shooting their hands up in the air even on the return like we got synchronized pickle ball going on here I mean even when he’s clowning like he is right now those that fake drop shot backhand volley at him come on yeah and and he he clearly has has gotten Ben John’s to engage with him the problem is he’s down 82 in 82 in game three oh I I don’t think he called that out I don’t I think that’s in yep yeah I think there was a hope since you said point I’m calling it out that is amazing she has enjoyed calling foot faults on me I can tell you that just wide there so can jack get us from Showtime to his best stuff and make this a match now down the stretch wow that was Hammer but not above the 30 in 36 inch height of the highest part of the net there yeah I don’t I don’t believe Ben Johns would have made contact with that ball on the inside and forehand but we’ll never know oh my runs around it and pulls it down the line that’s pretty yeah I thought I thought he was going to go inside out with Sid spin so show shows what I know just nothing to read saw even there just the little reaction when the ball coming back hits him okay so that is what he can do and he can do it in bunches yeah the bunches is going to be be Paramount given the score line but another hard jab step from a quality opponent of Jack so in the wrong direction uh just a testament to the deception I love to talk about it because it is a thing and just hits an absolute BB past Ben John’s there yeah there will not be any Lefty points played the rest of this match as that score line gets a little tighter and I I’ve actually played Lefty only pickle ball with Ben and that is not something you want to get into with him at all he could be a f he might be a five left-handed I mean he’s that good so that was a bad decision from Jack anyway he just needed to make the return oh out yeah he he sensed blood in the water as that ball was floating up and of course I love what Ben did there attacking the shot just missed out Jack thanking the crowd all moaning that he missed that a strong fist pump right as it right it right as it hits the net yeah lay off the net cam there Jack come on now Cobra backhand everything yeah just I mean just move over Hugh Jackman we got the greatest showman right here and just a little fairy hop that’s the end to just just be in the air when he hit that that volley winner just a little I mean I’m 5’8 I might have had to jump not him the lead is only three now Adam Ben needs to be careful almost almost seemed like that initial forehand Jack just he just came forward and and was caught in the midcourt in an awkward spot on the next ball you’re just not going to see a mish hit and not being in the strike zone like that if there’s not some conditions involved from John’s cuz that that ball is you know closer to the bottom pole than the let tape very big Miss hit from him wow yeah it was sitting there and a great stab from Ben cuz he was very beat on that first shot so not much on the volley but able to put it somewhat deep in the court was pretty good from that position 85 and Ben finds a clean pass for one of the first times in this whole match yeah and the the one two points ago I talked about was so poor that one struck beautifully two points from Sunday for Ben Johns man he I I like the idea of it been spread out wide there but last [Music] long people want more pickle they’re a little upset with that ball being out I don’t blame them yeah Jack probably being the most upset but I think he’s known this for some time oh they are asking which hand do you want here I don’t think Ben’s gonna do it on Match Point here though oh no and that sails and in one of the most unbelievably entertaining game threes in a semi-final you’ll ever have well this is an absolute Banger of a match a little flip-flo in games there but you were not going to let this one get away from you there you go feder Rico uh what did you do to Come Away with this match uh yeah I certainly tried not to make too many errors uh Jack plays a very big game so uh you know he’s going to hit some winners you got to accept that and uh at the make sure you’re scoring as well so they don’t kind of run away with it like he did in game two um so yeah it’s important to I mean just buckle down every point because he’s going to score fast so you have to as well well you like to know players before you play them this is the first time you went up against Jack but you’ve obviously studied his game what were you trying to do going into the match uh yeah you know I mean studying is one thing but actually your body reacting to patterns is another um so it’s definitely tough sometimes where uh if I am thinking about a certain pattern in my mind he still kind of fools me with it so he got me on a number of uh of forehand kind of risty flick shots um so yeah it’s more just about getting repetition against a player and uh trusting your body well the question we what we’re all asking is did we see a lefty point in the start of game three and what was going on we did well Jack and I have some history of playing Lefty games together uh we’ve done that before so um I saw him just kind of phantom swinging Lefty I asked him if he wanted one and he’s like absolutely he wants one uh sadly it didn’t turn out well I’m sorry we didn’t have a good point it’s usually better than that but uh yeah sadly he missed the return