Tennis is a difficult sport, regardless of what age the player is. That’s why Bill Ackman’s effort to win an ATP 125 challenger men’s doubles match with Grand Slam and Olympic champion Jack Sock grabbed headlines.
Ackman is not a professional tennis player; he is a 59-year-old billionaire and hedge fund investor who admirably tried to become the oldest player to earn ATP ranking points at the Newport Challenger, Hall of Fame Open, event.
This not an exhibition but a professional match at Newport challenger.
59 years old Jewish billionaire William Ackman playing a double with Jack Sock against Bernard Tomic and Omar Jasika.
Money is a crazy concept. pic.twitter.com/UPJRtUE1nA— You (@borrowedlove91) July 9, 2025
@BillAckman Service Game, with Partner Jack Sock at @TennisHalloFame @atptour Challenger, Opening Round. Bill Ackman & Jack Sock vs Tomic and Jasika pic.twitter.com/2N4Mx9qHKI
— Harry Cicma (@HarryCicma) July 9, 2025
Those of us who are young at heart but chronologically close in age to Ackman watched and cheered from afar. Even though the pair lost, they put up a good fight in the second set. The final score was 1-6, 5-7.
Is this a one-and-done effort by Ackman? It’s hard to say. We may need to check with him tomorrow to see how the body is feeling.
As for Jack Sock, he plays competitive pickleball now, but fans of his (and I am one of them) are wondering if the 32-year-old is testing the waters for a comeback to the ATP Tour. He talked about playing the Miami Open this spring with Nick Kyrgios, but that never materialized, potentially because of Kyrgios’s ongoing wrist injury issues. The US Open is right around the corner. Two of his four Grand Slams were won in New York (2011 mixed doubles and 2018 men’s doubles). Sock is one of the regular hosts of the Nothing Major podcast with Sam Querrey, John Isner, and Steve Johnson. He has been noticeably absent for a few episodes.
Kudos to Bill Ackman for trying something new and bringing more attention to the Newport Challenger, Hall of Fame Open, event in the midst of Wimbledon.
