• Loading stock data...
Monday, July 7, 2025

Tennis Star Jack Sock Shifts to Pro Pickleball Amid Sport’s Rise

  • Sock, 30, will leave a successful tennis career to join the PPA Tour, following fellow American tennis star Sam Querrey.
  • “I want to be kind of a bridge between the two sports,” Sock said of tennis and pickleball cohesion.
Jack Sock is retiring from tennis after the U.S. Open to join the PPA.
Syndication: Desert Sun

American tennis star Jack Sock is retiring from the sport to begin his professional career in pickleball as the mini tennis-like sport continues gaining national prominence.

Sock, 30, will play with doubles partner John Isner in the upcoming U.S. Open before calling it quits to join the Professional Pickleball Association’s PPA Tour. Sock has made $11.9 million in career tennis earnings, fueled by four ATP singles titles that saw him climb as high as No. 8 on the world rankings in 2017. 

“If Jack [Sock] devotes himself to pickleball all the time, I think he will be a Top-5 player within 12 months,” PPA CEO Connor Pardoe said in a May interview with the Charlotte Observer.

Sock has been mulling his transition from tennis to pickleball for some time, and he played pickleball events on weeks when he had off from his tennis schedule. While pickleball will be less physically demanding for Sock, the sport has resulted in frequent injuries among elderly players. 

“Maybe when my body’s not cooperating enough for tennis, and I’m getting older, maybe pickleball kind of takes over for me,” Sock told the Charlotte Observer in May. “I want to be kind of a bridge between the two sports, and let people know you can go out and enjoy both,” he said. “Obviously, if you’re a tennis lover and all of a sudden some of the tennis courts in your community are now pickleball courts — I understand that makes it less easy to play. But there’s a middle ground here. There’s no reason for either sport to rip on the other.”

Sock will join Sam Querrey on the PPA Tour, another former American tennis star who retired to play pickleball professionally. Ben Johns, a top-ranked pickleballer, reportedly makes an estimated $250,000 annually.

The PPA has broadcast deals with Amazon and ESPN, and the tour recently added another revenue stream by becoming the first U.S. pickleball league to offer legal sports betting

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.

Baseball’s Celebrity Row: Behind MLB’s First-Pitch Ritual

Often planned, sometimes spontaneous, the ritual throw is baseball’s celebrity row.
Bill Ackman
exclusive

Billionaire Bill Ackman Prepares for ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Tennis Match in..

Ackman says he’s “peaking next week” at the Hall of Fame Open.

3,000 Hot Dogs, $20K in Prizes: Behind the Nathan’s Eating Contest

Nathan’s serves up thousands of hot dogs and $20,000 in prize money.

Featured Today

Geoffrey Esper Can’t Catch a Break at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

“Hot dogs is not one of my favorite competitions of the year.”
June 29, 2025

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.

WNBA All-Stars Will Earn $2,575 for Playing in Game

The WNBPA is in the midst of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement
exclusive
July 2, 2025

WNBA Players Reject League’s First CBA Offer

Players felt the initial proposal wasn’t “entirely responsive” to their request.
July 6, 2025

Unrivaled Co-Founders Deny Conflict of Interest With WNBPA Leadership

The WNBA and its union are negotiating a new CBA.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
Nike banners featuring Caitlin Clark are installed along the eastern side of Des Moines' Court Avenue Restaurant and Brewing Company on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.
July 2, 2025

Caitlin Clark’s Signature Shoe Could Be $100 Million Business: Sneaker Expert

Clark’s shoe could rival top NBA signature lines.
July 2, 2025

As NBA Free Agency Quiets, Focus Shifts to Potential Extensions

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander signed a four-year, $285 million extension.
Nov 29, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) celebrates a shot in the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
July 1, 2025

Malik Beasley’s Messy Offseason Includes $2.25M Suit From Ex-Agency

The former Pistons player is not having a good summer.
July 1, 2025

Gauff, Pegula Out at Wimbledon in Nightmare Start for American Women, ESPN

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula were ranked Nos. 2 and 3, respectively, entering Wimbledon.