Tomas Berdych won his second title of the season, beating young American Jack Sock for the second successive week. The Czech World No. 5 took the title 7-6, 6-2.
In a match that for some parts mirrored their meeting in Shanghai, Sock was the first to threaten, breaking his opponent early in the first set. But Berdych warmed into the match and denied Sock the set, breaking when the American attempted to serve out at five-four. Just as sin Shanghai last week, Berdych then took control of the tie-break and would then win the set that at one point had looked beyond him.
Rather than rest with this success, the Czech then stepped up a gear, breaking Sock early on in set two, proving impregnable on serve, dropping no points on his first serve in the second set, and serving at sixty percent. Sock meanwhile was losing heavily when forced onto his second service, and Berdych would earn a second break. There would be no attempted come back for the American, as Berdych served out the match for his third win in Stockholm.
Berdych: “I found a way to deal with a tough situation in the first set, afterwards I was able to find my game and get better and better.”
Berdych won the title in 2012 and 2014, beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Grigor Dimitrov in those finals. Berdych did not lose a single set in this year’s tournament, defeating Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, and Marcos Baghdatis before dismissing Sock in the final. Berdych has opted not to play either Vienna or Basel this year. He will likely appear in Paris-Bercy, with the Masters event the last of the main season. He will then play in London, with his qualification for the ATP World Tour Finals already confirmed. If he plays well there is a chance he can return to his career high ranking of four.
Jack Sock can take heart from his excellent run in Stockholm. His final may have ended in defeat, but his play epitomised just how much the young American has improved this year. His straight sets victories over Gilles Simon and Richard Gasquet this week evidence a consistency against top players that has been mostly missing from his game until this past year. Sock is in action next week as he takes on a qualifier in his opening round match in Basel. Sock is likely to end the year with a career high season end ranking.
Sock did pick up some silverware, as he was part of the team that won the doubles event. He and his partner Nicolas Monroe beat Michael Venus and Mate Pavic 7-5, 6-2.
