During a 2016 tennis match between US (now Olympian) tennis player Jack Sock and Australian opponent Lleyton Hewitt, Sock displays a grand gesture of sportsmanship that not only stunned his opponent, it stunned the umpire — and it stunned the world.
In the SBNation video below, we see Lleyton Hewitt make a serve, and a “FAULT” (outside the line) is called. A few seconds go by and Sock says, “That was in, if you want to challenge it.” Hewitt seems bewildered, as if Sock is maybe joking, smiles with a look of, “huh?” The umpire also smiles and says, it was in? “Really?”
Sock reiterates with a bigger smile, “Challenge it!” Hewitt requests the challenge, the umpire goes along and during playback the ball is called officially inside the line. The crowd goes wild. Sock loses the set, and wins the hearts of millions .
Here is the SBNation video:
x YouTube Video Below is the same video scene recorded live and posted by Wardio Visual — with better audio. x YouTube Video“Take note kids. Winning is important, but there is more to being a legend than win / loss records.”
Eight months later, we have THIS…Jack Sock wins a gold and bronze medal on Copacabana Beach, August 15, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during the Summer Olympics.
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 14: (L-R) Silver medalists Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram of the United States, gold medalists Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock of the United States and bronze medalists Lucie Hradecka and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic pose on the podium during the ceremony for the mixed doubles on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Tennis Centre on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 15: (BROADCAST - OUT) Tennis player, Jack Sock of the United States poses for a photo with his gold and bronze medals on the Today show set on Copacabana Beach on August 15, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Love it when life works this way. Congratulations, Jack Sock — and thank you.