Jack Sock admits he ‘went numb’ after sending Roger Federer into retirement with a defeat

Jack Sock said he will be ‘forever grateful’ to have been part of the last match of Roger Federer’s career.

Sock partners Frances Tiafoe for Team World with them ultimately beating Federer and Rafael Nadal on an emotional night at the O2 Arena.

There is no question that all the attention was on Roger Federer and, to a lesser extent Rafael Nadal, but Sock says he felt incredibly privileged to have been involved.

“It was super fun to just be a part of that match,” Jack Sock said. “I think we are going to be forever grateful to be a part of the GOAT’s final match.”

There were some who suggested the Laver Cup was highjacked for Federer’s final match with the match potentially being seen as lacking in a truly competitive spirit.

Sock, though, says it didn’t feel that way at all to him – until the reality set in afterwards.

“While playing, it felt like a match,” Sock said. “Settled in while we were all bawling our eyes out there afterwards, but during the match, felt like a competitive match. I’ve got, you know, the opportunity to play him a few times in Laver Cup, and that team before, so brought back some memories of that, which was exciting.

“Tiafoe and I played him together for the first time, trying to bring crazy energy. Obviously had 99.9% of the crowd against us. But it was super fun to just be a part of that match. I think we are going to be forever grateful to be a part of the GOAT’s final match.

“But I don’t think it settled in until after. When I hit that last shot and realized it was over, it was, like, kind of went numb.”

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