Sock brings the energy to Miami even with loss to Nadal

Jack Sock’s run to the quarterfinals at the Miami Open came to a screeching halt when he fell to Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-3 on Wednesday night. Still, the 24-year-old left his mark in the month of March, lifting the spirits of American tennis fans.

After a terrific run to the semifinals at Indian Wells, Sock brought his energy to the opposite coast to help touch off the tournament’s festivities. How many juniors did he inspire with his "rock’em Sock’em" forehand?

In the fourth round, Sock showed why he is the nation's top-ranked men’s player, hammering young countryman Jared Donaldson 6-2, 6-1 for his tour-leading 18th win of the season.

Sock will likely move up to a career-high No. 15 in the ATP Rankings come Monday, and he's also got this stat to be proud of:

Sock’s biggest failure this month was picking winners for college basketball’s March Madness.

Facing Nadal would prove to be more difficult. Both players dueled with topspin that occasionally topped 3900 RPMs.

But highlight reels cannot stand up to incessant grinding, as Matt Cronin pointed out that Nadal controlled the match with too many first serves targeted at Sock's backhand.

While Sock couldn’t keep the momentum of a break point advantage in the second set, he flashed the kind of backhand he needs to bring out to become a Top 10 player.

For Sock, there's still the matter of a doubles semifinal with partner Nicholas Monroe against the fabled Bryan brothers.

Then it's off to Australia for Davis Cup action next week. The demands of a top player only increases, but if the shoe fits, it must be a Sock.