PARIS — The young American Jack Sock has played well — even brilliantly at times — to get himself back into the third round of the French Open. And guess who is waiting for him? The even younger Borna Coric, a Croatian and a Roland Garros rookie with a buzz cut, a deep tan and star mentors galore who is just 18 and already resolute beyond his years.
Men’s tennis is not yet changing at the top, but tectonic plates are shifting below. The next generation looks like quite a generation, and Sock and Coric’s match on Saturday could be — and probably should be — the first of many.