reuters
,
Matija Pekotic should probably consider quitting his day job after former world No. 8 Jack Sock stunned a full-time finance professional in his ATP Tour main-draw debut at the Delray Beach Open on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old Croatian qualifier, who is director of capital markets for Wexford Real Estate Investors – an affiliate of $4 billion investment firm Wexford Capital – beat Sock 4-6 6-2 6-2.
Pekotick reached a career-high ranking of No. 206 in 2015, but temporarily left the game due to complications following abdominal surgery. He then joined Harvard Business School, where he rediscovered his love for sports.
Pekotik sealed the victory in front of his boss, who is a longtime friend of his coach, Dominic Hrabetti.
“I had to leave work early today,” joked Pekotick. “I had to send an email to the whole team. My boss let me go. I’ll have to ask for another day off tomorrow.”
The world No. 784, who meets Marcos Giron next, said the win over Sock in the opening round was unexpected but he didn’t take the match thinking he didn’t have a chance.
“You have to be realistic,” Pekotik said.
“This is a former Top 10 player who has incredible tennis experience and a great serve. He came out at 134 mph on the first serve. It would be arrogant to think I’m going to come out and expect to win.
“But I figured if I could sink my teeth into the match and work the two or three patterns I had drawn earlier, I was going to have a chance.”