Urodzony: 28-12-79
Miejsce urodzenia: Yonkers, New York, USA
Rezydencja : Tampa, Florida, USA
Wzrost : 6'1'' (185 cm)
Waga : 183 lbs (83 kg)
Praworêczny.
James Blake wygra³ w swojej karierze 10 zawodowych turniejów:
2002 - Waszyngotn
2005 - New Haven, Sztokholm
2006 - Sydney, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Bangkok, Sztokholm
2007 - Sydney, New Haven
W 2007 roku wraz z reprezentacj± USA zdoby³ Puchar Davisa.
Gracz niezwykle przebojowy i efektownie graj±cy. S³yn±cy z piekielnie skutecznego Forhandu i niezwykle mocnego backhandu, bardzo dobrze graj±cy przy siatce, pewnie serwuj±cy. Jego problem to koncentracja - mentalna chimeryczno¶æ sprawi³a, ze wygra³ du¿o mniej ni¿ powinien.
2004 rok straci³ ze wzglêdu na 2 powa¿ne kontuzje i tragediê rodzinn± (¶mieræ ojca).
James to nr 3 na li¶cie moich ulubionych graczy (nr 2 spo¶ród tych wci±¿ graj±cych).
C'Mon !
ALBUM PUCHARÓW JAMESA BLAKE'A :)
#1) Washington 2002
R64 Bye
R32 Ogorodov, Oleg (UZB) 6-4 6-1
R16 Coria, Guillermo (ARG) 6-4 7-5
Q Corretja, Alex (ESP) 6-4 6-4
S Agassi, Andre (USA) 6-3 6-4
W Srichaphan, Paradorn (THA) 1-6 7-6(5) 6-4 
#2) New Heaven 2005
R64 Bye
R32 Clement, Arnaud (FRA) 6-4 6-2
R16 Calleri, Agustin (ARG) 3-6 7-6(2) 6-1
Q Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 6-4 6-2
S Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) 6-4 3-6 7-6(2)
W Fish, Mardy (USA) 7-5 6-4 
#3) Sztokholm 2005
R32 Garcia-Lopez, Guillermo (ESP) 7-6(4) 6-4
R16 Rochus, Christophe (BEL) 6-7(9) 7-5 6-2
Q Martin, Alberto (ESP) 6-1 6-2
S Rochus, Olivier (BEL) 6-4 6-3
W Srichaphan, Paradorn (THA) 6-1 7-6(6) 
#4) Sydney 2006
R32 Kim, Kevin (USA) 6-3 6-4
R16 Healey, Nathan (AUS) 6-2 6-4
Q Korolev, Evgeny (RUS) 6-1 6-4
S Melzer, Jurgen (AUT) W/O
W Moya, Carlos (ESP) 6-3 5-7 6-1 
#5) Las Vegas 2006
R32 Srichaphan, Paradorn (THA) 7-6(3) 6-0
R16 Vahaly, Brian (USA) 6-1 6-1
Q Carlsen, Kenneth (DEN) 6-4 6-4
S Karlovic, Ivo (CRO) 7-6(2) 6-1
W Hewitt, Lleyton (AUS) 7-5 2-6 6-3 
#6) Indianapolis 2006
R64 Bye
R32 Udomchoke, Danai (THA) 7-6(5) 6-4
R16 Whitehouse, Wesley (RSA) 6-7(5) 6-3 6-4
Q Mahut, Nicolas (FRA) 7-6(2) 7-6(5)
S Malisse, Xavier (BEL) 6-3 2-6 6-1
W Roddick, Andy (USA) 4-6 6-4 7-6(5) 
#7) Bangkok 2006
R32 Cilic, Marin (CRO) 6-1 6-2
R16 Balleret, Benjamin (MON) 6-3 6-2
Q Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) 6-2 2-6 7-5
S Safin, Marat (RUS) 3-6 6-4 7-6(3)
W Ljubicic, Ivan (CRO) 6-3 6-1 
#8) Sztokholm 2006
R32 Johansson, Thomas (SWE) 6-3 6-2
R16 Greul, Simon (GER) 6-3 6-2
Q Rochus, Olivier (BEL) 6-7(3) 6-4 6-2
S Soderling, Robin (SWE) 7-5 7-6(4)
W Nieminen, Jarkko (FIN) 6-4 6-2 
#9) Sydney 2007
R32 Kim, Kevin (USA) 6-3 6-4
R16 Healey, Nathan (AUS) 6-2 6-4
Q Korolev, Evgeny (RUS) 6-1 6-4
S Melzer, Jurgen (AUT) W/O
W Moya, Carlos (ESP) 6-3 5-7 6-1 
#10) New Heaven 2007
R64 Bye
R32 Clement, Arnaud (FRA) 6-4 6-2
R16 Calleri, Agustin (ARG) 3-6 7-6(2) 6-1
Q Verdasco, Fernando (ESP) 6-4 6-2
S Mathieu, Paul-Henri (FRA) 6-4 3-6 7-6(2)
W Fish, Mardy (USA) 7-5 6-4 
Jeszcze jeden, dru¿ynowy, ale chyba najcenniejszy dorzucê :)
Davis Cup 2007:
Trochê James siê powygrywa³, ale zaprzepa¶ci³ tez masê szans, w tym te, które mnie bol± najbardziej, czyli:
- 2 fina³y Delrey Beach (Malisse, Nishikori)
- fina³ Houston (z Grannolersem)
- fina³ LA ( ze Stepankiem)
i oczywi¶cie fina³ Queens Club z Hewittem w 2006, gdzie naprawdê by³ w niez³ym gazie i jednak g³adko przegra³ tamten fina³, a by³ blisko wygrania czego¶ naprawdê presti¿owego.
Z cala sympatia dla tego zawodnika, widzimy w tym temacie ze ow koleszka nie wygral nic znaczacego w karierze singlowej. Pewna wisienka na torcie jego kariery zostaje Davis Cup wygrany z reprezentacja USA i on pozostanie jego najwiekszym sukcesem w karierze.
Ano nie wygra³. Jak to Karol Stopa ostatnio powiedzia³, James to jeden z tych graczy, którzy nieprawdopodobnie marnuj± swój talent - ¶mia³o mo¿na stwierdziæ, ¿e by³by jednym z Wielkich Mistrzów Amerykañskiego tenisa gdyby...no w³a¶nie, co ? Chyba jednak nie psychika, na pewno nie brak umiejêtno¶ci - po prostu chyba brak konsekwencji czy brak pomys³ów taktycznych w wa¿nych momentach.
Mia³ swoje chwile, gdzie jednak mimo wielkiego wyniku ani przez chwile nie by³ kim¶, kto mo¿e postawiæ kropkê nad i - Masters Cup 2006, ostatnie Io czy UsO 2005, gdzie po kapitalnym meczu przegra³ z Agassim.
Fakt faktem, jak jest w gazie to ogl±danie Go w akcji jest nie lada przyjemno¶ci±.
Taki jest nasz James. Styl ma totalnie bezkompromisowy, na tym tle nawet m³ody Fed jawi siê jako grzeczny uczeñ katolickiego liceum :P I albo to wszytsko wchodzi i wtedy ogl±danie Jamesa jest czyst± przyjemno¶ci±, albo drajwy id± w p³ot i lepiej zmieniæ kana³.
Bizon napisał:
Z cala sympatia dla tego zawodnika, widzimy w tym temacie ze ow koleszka nie wygral nic znaczacego w karierze singlowej. Pewna wisienka na torcie jego kariery zostaje Davis Cup wygrany z reprezentacja USA i on pozostanie jego najwiekszym sukcesem w karierze.
Dobre podsumowanie jego dotychczasowego dorobku. Niestety, ten brak umiejêtno¶ci stawiania kropki nad "i" przes±dza o tym, ¿e wygra³ w swojej karierze 10 turniejów, ale 9 z nich nie nale¿y do tych z najwy¿szej pó³ki.
Odkopuje temat D¿emika z Hadesu - JB zawita³ bowiem do artyku³u w magazynie DEUCE, o czym tr±bi strona g³ówna ATP ;)
http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/DEUCE- … -Time.aspx
Aha, fina³ QC w miêdzyczasie siê pojawi³, ju¿ 2 w karierze. :)
Blake Steps Out Of DC
A foot injury has forced James Blake to step out of Washington, DC.
The 18th-ranked Blake joins Gael Monfils, who is suffering from a wrist injury, Radek Stepanek, slowed by a knee injury, and 2006 champion Arnaud Clement in officially withdrawing from next week's Legg Mason Tennis Classic at the William H.G. FitzGerald Tennis Center in Rock Creek Park (16th & Kennedy Streets, NW) in Washington, DC.
"Injuries are part of the game and we’re sorry to report that these players will not be able to compete this week," said tournament director Jeff Newman. "We wish them well in their recovery."
Blake, the 2002 Washington champion, sustained the foot injury during the United States' Davis Cup quarterfinal loss to host Croatia.
The departure of four veterans from the draw created space for a slew of Indianapolis semifinalists to join the field.
A trio of Indianapolis semifinalists — Robby Ginepri, who beat Sam Querrey to win his second Indianapolis Tennis Championships title on Sunday and rose 39 spots in the rankings, John Isner, who reached a career-high rank of No. 77 this week and was runner-up to Andy Roddick in the 2007 Washington final, and Eastbourne finalist Frank Dancevic — have all gained direct entry into the draw along with American lefthander Wayne Odesnik.
Three-time Legg Mason champion and Wimbledon finalist Roddick is scheduled to play on Tuesday night on Andy Roddick Foundation Day. Other high seeds, including defending champion Juan Martin del Potro, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Fernando Gonzalez are expected to play Tuesday or Wednesday.
The main draw will be conducted today.
Qualifying play begins tomorrow with players including Kevin Anderson, Jesse Levine, Vince Spadea and Donald Young, competing for six main-draw spots.
A year ago, del Potro beat Isner in the quarterfinals and Tommy Haas in the semis before scoring a 6-3, 6-3 win over Viktor Troicki in the final.
James w poniedzia³ek opu¶ci Top-20 rankingu Entry.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
James w poniedzia³ek opu¶ci Top-20 rankingu Entry.
jeszcze niedawno przebywa³ w TOP 10 rankingu,po TMC 2006 byl na 4 miejscu o ile dobrze pamiêtam,ale niestety od niemal 2 lat James nie odnosi sukcesów w karierze w postaci zwyciêstw turniejowych,ale w tym roku gra³ w 2 fina³ach turniejowych(Queens Club,Estoril)
Ostatni turniej wygra³ w New Haven w 2007 roku. Od tamtego czasu kolekcjonuje koncertowe wtopy w fina³ach, jak nie wcze¶niej :P
Dobrze, ¿e chocia¿ do 10 dobi³ w ilo¶ci wygranych imprez ;)
Szkoda,¿e tylko jeden rok mia³ w pe³ni udany(2006),kiedy mo¿na powiedzieæ ¿e praktycznie za spraw± Federera wygra³ 5,a nie wiêcej turniejów
http://www.jamesblaketennis.com/
Strona internetowa JB.
Przed chwil± w sieci pojawi³a siê informacja, jakoby James rozsta³ siê z wieloletnim coachem, Brianem Barkerem.
Ma kto¶ potwierdzone info?
Tak, przed chwil± mi je dale¶. :D
http://www.tennisnews.com/exclusive.php?pID=29560
hahaha
Dziwne trochê. Nie wiem, jak pozostali fani JB, ale ja my¶la³em, ¿e on ca³± karierê bêdzie z Brianem Barkerem pracowa³.
Taka zmiana trenera w takim punkcie kariery. Mo¿e James chce jeszcze wygraæ szlema i zostaæ numerem 1? :D
Widaæ te¿ mu zale¿y na bilansie z Nadalem. :D
No ja nie wiem czy pan Jones nauczy starego Jamesa nowych sztuczek, ale byc moze JB faktycznie ma jeszcze spore tenisowe ambicje i chce sprobowac czegos nowego po nieudanych ostatnich miesiacach. Tyle, ze glowe tez bedzie ciezko w tym wieku "naprawic" :]
Ale milo by bylo gdyby w Pekinie zadzialal tzw. efekt nowej miotly i James wykosil Jakiegos Faworyta :D
Art napisał:
Ale milo by bylo gdyby w Pekinie zadzialal tzw. efekt nowej miotly i James wykosil Jakiegos Faworyta :D
Trzymam kciuki ! :D
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Art napisał:
Ale milo by bylo gdyby w Pekinie zadzialal tzw. efekt nowej miotly i James wykosil Jakiegos Faworyta :D
Trzymam kciuki ! :D
Co??!! Czy¿by¶ ¿yczy³ przegranej swojemy Ulubionemu Tenisi¶cie Wielkiemu Mistrzowi Mozartowi Tenisa Rafaelowi Parerze Nadalowi z Manacor??!!
Robertinho napisał:
Co??!! Czy¿by¶ ¿yczy³ przegranej swojemy Ulubionemu Tenisi¶cie Wielkiemu Mistrzowi Mozartowi Tenisa Rafaelowi Parerze Nadalowi z Manacor??!!
Nie jest ³atwo w przypadku takich meczów. Rafa jeszcze wygra niejedno, a Jamesowi taki sukces bardzo by siê przyda³. Na ukoronowanie kariery :P
Wierzyæ siê nie chce, Nadalowczycy s± i tak w mniejszo¶ci a tu taki cios w plecy- najwiêkszy fanatyk zdradza go z jakim¶ cieniasem Blakiem.
DUN I LOVE napisał:
Robertinho napisał:
Co??!! Czy¿by¶ ¿yczy³ przegranej swojemy Ulubionemu Tenisi¶cie Wielkiemu Mistrzowi Mozartowi Tenisa Rafaelowi Parerze Nadalowi z Manacor??!!
Nie jest ³atwo w przypadku takich meczów. Rafa jeszcze wygra niejedno, a Jamesowi taki sukces bardzo by siê przyda³. Na ukoronowanie kariery :P
Przecie¿ przegrana mo¿e przekre¶liæ szanse Mistrza na bycie liderem rankingu na koniec sezonu! I Ty w takiej chwili przejmujesz siê jakim¶ nieudacznikiem i jego marn± karier±?!
Wy nic nie rozumiecie! :D
James to jeden z moich ulubieñców :) szkoda ¿e nie odnosi sukcesów :(
October 4, 2009 - Blake has split with longtime coach
By Charles Bricker
I can now confirm, through the ATP, that James Blake is no longer working with coach Brian Barker, who has been James' friend, confidante and coach since J.B. was 12 years old.
Blake is in Beijing this week under the tutelage of Kelly Jones, the former No. 1 doubles player (1992) who has previously coached Mardy Fish and Xavier Malisse, among others.
This had to be a difficult split for Blake, whose loyalty to Barker over the years is legion. But, though his record is a respectable 21-17, Blake has slipped from No. 10 at the start of the season to No. 24 and, once again, has not reached his potential at the Grand Slams.
Jones can help Blake with his transition and net game and it is also a very good fit geographically. Blake and Jones both live in Tampa.
OCTOBER 14, 2009 - BLAKE'S GAME IS CHANGING FOR THE BETTER
by Charles Bricker
Do not feel sorry for James Blake because he came so close once again against Rafael Nadal. And do not feel sorry for James Blake because this is the second tournament in two weeks (China and now Shanghai) in which he's drawn to play Nadal in the second round.
Don't feel sorry for him because, in the short and maybe the long run, these two Nadal losses are going to be good for him and his new coach, Kelly Jones. Hopefully, this is a late turning point in Blake's career.
I counted 41 trips inside the service line by Blake, many of them on serve-and-volley points, and, on balance, I really like the way JB is forcing play at the net. He's never going to fully discard his high-risk ground-stroking style -- not at 29 years of age -- but he's making some changes that I think will lift him out of his current No. 26 and back into the top 10, where he belongs.
No doubt Jones' doubles and volleying background (he was, briefly, No. 1 in ATP doubles in the early 1990s) is having a big influence on Blake, who consistently came to net, even with adverse results, knowing he was facing one of the premier passers in the game. That, alone, showed a heavy commitment to getting away from being the James Blake who relies only on big first serves and forehands to being James Blake who has another way to finish points.
He wasn't always the paradigm of volleying brilliance in this 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4 loss, blowing three pretty easy shots and, at one stage, mis-timing an easy backhand crosscourt pass from about two feet in front of the net and hitting the ball straight at Nadal, who seemed stunned, and happy, to parry this gimme back into the open court for the point.
But the more JB keeps trooping forward, the easier this will become and the more confidence he will have. I have a sense with him that because he's so fast that he sometimes looks as if he's swarming to the net instead of racing in in a more controlled way -- the way Pete Sampras and Patrick Rafter used to close inside the service line. But that's not difficult to iron out.
There was also a lot to like in this match in the way that Blake came from a break down in the last two sets to get back on serve. He didn't finish well in the third, going down 15-40 badly while serving at 4-5.
But this was Nadal, not some guy ranked in the 30s or 40s.
It was a match between two players who have issues to smooth out at this stage of their careers. For Blake, of course, the difficult decision to change coaches, discarding Brian Barker, with whom he had been pupil, friend and confidante since he was 12. For Nadal, he's trying to recapture his pre-French Open rhythm after a couple of difficult injuries -- to his patellar tendons at Roland Garros and an abdominal injury that severely hampered his serving when he returned from the first injury.
That stomach injury appears over. His serve, which is more of a location shot that an artillery blast, is much more effective. He had five aces and 29 unreturned serves in this match, though, in truth, a lot of those 24 non-aces were a result of Blake's desire to take big cuts and play very risky service returns. Still, 29 unreturned balls . . . The result is the same. Free points.
And he needed the energy-saving because Blake's forehand was devastating in the second set and for a large portion of the third, and he was just as tough on Nadal as he was when they played at the China Open a week ago.
When Blake's horribly errant forehand went well wide on the second match point, Nadal scurried to his changeover chair, took his towel and, in a very unlikely Nadal gesture, slammed the towel down -- a signal that he considered this an extremely hard-earned triumph.
He now leads this series 4-3 after losing the first three times he had played Blake, including that golden Blake moment in the third round of the 2005 U.S. Open (geez, that seems like ages ago, doesn't it?). Nadal now has won four straight and all in split sets.
So, is the former world No. 1 and now entrenched No. 2 finally back on course? I think so, largely. But watching him in this two-hour slugfest I sense that he's still not entirely happy with his serving returning. The footwork? Fantastic. The quickness? Vintage Nadal. The serve? As noted, almost back to pre-French Open quality. The ground-stroking? I wish you could have seen three or four of Nadal's finest shots in this match. But he wants to be more consistent in the depth of his returns.
If he can stay fit, he should work himself into the favorite's position for the Masters Cup in London next month, and he can do that with more matches.
As for JB, he's scheduled into Basel on Nov. 2 and then the Paris Indoors. Despite these Nadal losses, if he can just put these Nadal losses aside and look at the broader picture, he has every reason to think he's in a good place right now -- physically, emotionally and, especially, tactically.
Charles Bricker can be reached at bricker@tennisnews.com
Blake Can Be Top 5
Presently, James Riley Blake doesn't have the career statistics worthy of a place in the tennis Hall of Fame, but his incredible life story is a definite candidate for honorable mention. No average human being could've achieved so much while overcoming so many severe personal challenges.
Blake's biography is fodder for a motion picture. You are probably familiar with his story. As a teenager, he wore a full-length back brace to counter scoliosis. This disease curved his spine. He was an all American at Harvard and one of the few top 50 players who played college tennis. Through the years, he suffered many injuries, including a broken vertebrae in his back after colliding head first into a net post in Rome. The left side of his face flared into a painful rash from the virus Zoster that left part of his face frozen. And he lost his dearly beloved father, Thomas, who taught him how to play.
Despite all these difficulties, Blake fought his way into the top five in the fall of 2006 and finished that season as World No. 4 after falling to Roger Federer in the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup. He completed two seasons as a top 10 player: 2006 and 2008. These were clearly great accomplishments. Yet, there were rumblings he was underachieving. Many thought his talents should've produced even heavier fruit. So, they blamed Blake's long-time coach and friend, Brian Barker. Citing his lack of experience at the pro level, it was suggested he didn't have the tools necessary to maximize JB's potential.
Blake stubbornly held on to Barker throughout the controversy. Then, he finally and suddenly decided to make a change. He released Barker and replaced him with former pro, Kelly Jones. Blake obviously believes he has a lot left in his tank — I concur. And coach Jones may be just the man to help him get the best mileage out of his remaining years.
Here's why James Blake can return to the top five:
1. He has a top five forehand. There are few with a bigger stroke in the game. He has to learn how to use this massive shot more selectively. Coach Jones can help him graduate from a shot maker to a match taker.
2. JB possesses blue streak speed, quickness and agility. Only a handful of players can match this dazzling combination.
3. Blake's first serve is underrated. With a little work and a little more consistency, it could become fearsome.
These three gifts alone are sufficient to boost Blake into the top five and don't need much improvement. Here are parts of his game where Kelly Jones can make a big difference in turning James into a champion:
4. JB's backhand needs work. He allows his weight to fall to his left when he runs left, which makes it hard to recover to the center of the court. He tends to play the shot more to his back foot which results in floaters beyond the baseline. And he catches the shot a bit late which reduces his power and control. Consistently transferring his weight forward and playing the ball out front would solve all these problems.
5. Blake is a poor strategic thinker. It appears he rarely enters a match with a solid game plan nor does he consistently appear to recognize his opponent's strengths and weaknesses. He seems to rely completely on his shot making skills to win. While this approach pleases the fans with the occasional super shot, it's not enough to win with on a regular basis. Coach Jones can help him "see" the match from start to finish. Better match management and learning to make mid-match adjustments is the key to regaining a place in the top five.
6. James is a lover, not a fighter. He loves the fan adulation and star status. If he wants to get serious about his tennis, he has to forget the adulation when he steps to the baseline. He has to want it more than the guy on the other side of the net. For this, he needs to read chapters from Rafa's biography every day. If it doesn't exist, he should help Rafa write it.
7. Blake sometimes has trouble letting go of a poor shot or game. He lets the negativity linger at times — you can see it on his face as he stares up at the sky after an error. The top players press the delete key and do not carry one poor point over into the next nor do many of them show the negative body language he does. Blake must channel his emotion and energy in more positive and productive ways. Coach Jones will help him become more efficient in winning points on his serve so he can use most of his energy to attack his opponent.
8. James doesn't mind losing. He's a happy-go-lucky sort of fellow who likes to keep his life simple and uncomplicated. If he really wants to become a champion, he has to change his attitude both on and off the court. Champions hate to lose. This is what drives them to improve their great games. For the best, winning and losing matters. Coach Jones takes his job seriously. Maybe, some of his desire for excellence will inspire Blake.
Despite approaching his 30th birthday next month, JB has many good years left in him, in my opinion.
Like the Williams sisters, the playing time lost early on due to injuries may extend his career. Blake has never been fitter, faster or more mature. He's poised to make one last run for glory. His decision to get a new coach at this time means he understands this point very well. Kelly Jones has the skills to assist Blake in turning his disorganized game into an efficient fighting machine. If coach Jones maximizes JB's potential, we'll witness the re-making of a genuine top five player.
Wyclef To Perform At Blake's By Tennis Week Charity Event
Grammy Award-winning musician Wyclef Jean, the Fugees founder, wrote and recorded a tribute song to Venus Williams last summer. Next month, Wyclef will be the musical guest at James Blake's charity exhibition event against Andy Roddick in New York City.
The Yonkers, N.Y. native will host a tennis exhibition, BackOffice Associates Serving For A Cure with James Blake, presented by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, with Davis Cup teammate Roddick, to raise money for Thomas Blake, Sr., Memorial Research Fund, which he established to support cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC).
The event will be held on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at Pier 94 in New York City.
All of the net proceeds from the event will benefit the Fund, named in memory of his father, Thomas Blake, Sr., who died of gastric cancer in 2004. To date, Blake has raised more than $1.5 million through his exhibitions, J-Block merchandise sales, and donations to support research into the early detection and screening of cancer.
"I am grateful to BackOffice Associates for stepping up to sponsor this event, and to my good friend Andy Roddick, for his willingness to help support a cause that is close to my heart," said Blake in a statement. "I can’t think of a better way to raise money for leading-edge cancer research than to play tennis, entertain fans, and have a party afterwards. I want to invite everyone to come out for a memorable evening that will benefit such an important cause."
The Blake-Roddick match is set for 7:30 p.m. with Wyclef's performance, a selection of food from a variety of high profile New York City restaurants, and fashion show featuring Blake’s new clothing line, the Thomas Reynolds Collection by Fila, to follow.
Blake has hosted exhibitions the past three years featuring numerous celebrities and athletes such as future Hall of Famer Andre Agassi, superstar Serena Williams, and world-renowned musical artists John Mayer and Gavin DeGraw. Blake is continuing this event with the support of presenting sponsor Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, who has picked up the torch from their sister company Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Virginia and the support of his Virginia-based charitable event, Anthem Live!.
Tickets for the event are now available for $500 (VIP seat, meet and greet with the players, and the after party), $250 (box seat and the after party), $150 (box seat or after party), and $75 for kids (box seat). For more information about BackOffice Associates Serving For A Cure with James Blake, presented by Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield, and to purchase tickets, call 1-866-840-8822 or visit www.jamesblaketennis.com and www.mskcc.org/jamesblake.
Wyclef, a tennis fan, wrote "Venus (I'm Ready)", a song he says was inspired by the spirit, character and prowess of Williams.
Sezon 2009 w liczbach
Ranking: 44
Tytu³y: 0
Fina³y: 2 (Estoril, Queens)
Bilans spotkañ: 24-21
Zarobki: $567,873
AO - 4 Runda
RG - 1 Runda
WM -1 Runda
US - 3 Runda
Blake Set For 2010
A popular figure in Australia – and pretty much wherever else he plays – American James Blake is looking to get his season off to a good start with a strong showing at this week's Brisbane International, where he's making his tournament debut.
Speaking ahead of his first-round match with No. 5-seeded compatriot Sam Querrey, Blake said he's happy to be back down under: "It's always a fun trip - it's a long trip but once you're here it's worth it. I've had a pretty good start in Australia most years, and I enjoy it down here - the weather's usually perfect and the crowds seem to like me. They have fun watching me play and I have fun playing for them."
Last season was a challenging one for Blake, who celebrated his 30th birthday on December 28. Despite reaching two ATP World Tour finals he fell from No. 10 to No. 44, suffered a broken toe and parted ways with his long-time coach Brian Barker.
"2009 was tough - as I got a little momentum I'd start getting a little injured," Blake said. "I don't know if that's the age or just a little bad luck last year but I feel like this year can be a whole lot better. I hope to start out healthy and have the whole year healthy and if that's the case I like my chances of doing a lot better than last year."
Blake teamed with new coach and former ATP player Kelly Jones after the US Open, and the results have been promising thus far.
"It's been going great; Kelly and I have been going over some new things - the off-season was the first chance we really got to work on a lot of stuff. We'll see how it goes - it's tough to tell until you get out on the match court."
Blake Sidelined With Knee Injury
American James Blake is racing to be fit to compete at Roland Garros after announcing that he would be sidelined for several weeks with a knee injury.
The former World No. 4 has withdrawn from upcoming ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments in Rome and Madrid (where he was on the alternate list) and from Estoril, saying that he expects to be out of competition for six to eight weeks. Roland Garros begins in less than six weeks on 23 May.
“I have been required to take a break from competition to treat pain that I have been experiencing in my right knee,” Blake said in a statement. “The good news is that I will not need surgery. However, the treatment will require me to take a six to eight week break. I look forward to a successful rehabilitation period and retuning to competition on the ATP World Tour in the near future.”
Blake, 30, has an 8-7 record on the season, with two quarter-final runs (Brisbane and Delray Beach).
Szkoda :/ na RG i tak by za wiele nie zwojowa³, ale to mo¿e zak³óciæ jego przygotowania do Wimbledonu.
James Blake wraca na korty.
Amerykanin wróci prawdopodobnie podczas turnieju w Eastbourne. Blake nie gra od turnieju w Miami, a przyczyn± takiego stanu rzeczy jest kontuzja kolana. JB prawdopodobnie opó¼ni powrót na kort, decyzja o wycofaniu siê z Halle wydaje siê byæ formalno¶ci±.
Wimbledon 2010 - wywiad po pora¿ce w 1 rundzie
Q. I guess first of all, tell me about how you feel you played today, and did you feel as though you were getting into the match at a point?
JAMES BLAKE: I didn't ‑‑ well, I felt like my returns were terrible. That's usually something that's pretty good about my game, especially attacking second serves and getting my racquet on enough first serves to put some pressure on him.
I didn't do that. When I did, my breakpoint percentage I think was zero, so that's not gonna cut it when I had, I don't know, eight or nine chances and couldn't convert on any.
He made a lot of first serves; I'll give him credit there. But I didn't do well enough when I had chances. I could blame a lot of time off for that, for not playing confidently on those big points, not playing aggressive, not feeling as comfortable.
You know, that's something that could easily happen from taking time off. That's still no ‑‑ in my mind, that's no excuse for playing that way.
You know, to be honest, it's almost embarrassing to go out and play a Grand Slam match like that. Maybe it says to me that I came back too soon, or maybe I'm just too far away where I think I need to be.
Q. Physically, how are you at this point?
JAMES BLAKE: The knee is not great. If it doesn't get better soon, I'm not sure how much longer I want to play in pain.
I'm doing my best. We're doing everything we can. It's just getting pretty frustrating. We're trying everything, so hopefully soon we'll find the solution and make it so it's better.
I just took ten weeks off. I thought that was gonna do it and be the answer. We did everything we could rehab‑wise correctly, I think. It was feeling great in Eastbourne, and then had a little setback. Now it's not feeling great again.
Again, no excuse for the way I played today. You know, I played with this for quite a while in a bit of pain, and now the reason I want to take time off is I didn't want to continue playing in pain.
It's back, so that's not ideal.
Q. When did it flare up, James? When was the first time you had a problem with it?
JAMES BLAKE: Last Wednesday in Eastbourne.
Q. The original injury.
JAMES BLAKE: Year and a half ago. I don't even know. Just gradually got worse and worse until it get to a point where I just couldn't take playing at 80%. I can't beat these guys at 80%. I can't beat a lot them at 100% on a given day. So to think that I'm gonna compete with the top level of the game at 80% is just silly.
That's why I needed to take the time off and get myself healthy and get back to feeling 100%. You know, I really think it did work.
Now we're dealing with something new in my knee, although it feels similar. From the ultrasound we had last week, it's something a little different. Maybe it's just getting old. I don't know.
Q. What other options were you given before you took the ten weeks off? Did they go in and scope it?
JAMES BLAKE: No, it was basically keep playing in pain and get to the point where it requires surgery or ‑‑ you know, I've never taken an antiinflammatory or painkiller in my life. They have asked me to do that; I didn't do that.
Maybe I am hurting myself by not doing that. I don't know. It's just something I've kind of always stuck to. Otherwise, it's just rest. That's what they said. Need to rest and shut it down.
The other option I had was get that PRP treatment, which I did. That's where they take your blood, spin it to get the ‑‑ the reason it's PRP is platelet‑rich‑plasma, the stuff that's known for healing injuries and joints and everything.
So they take that, spin it down, and then inject that into the inflamed area. You know, whether or not that helped, I don't know. Figured couldn't hurt. Supposed to get you back on the court quicker. I don't know if it did.
I mean, I was back in ten weeks. My trainer and other people say that that kind of tendonitis could last a lot longer and could keep going. But I was back and felt good, and basically now, right next to it, another ‑‑ the tendon has been damaged right next to it.
Q. So the doctor said about surgery, if you elected to have it you could be out, what, six months, more?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know, I didn't really get into it. I didn't want to deal with surgery. At this point in my career, I don't know if surgery is a viable option.
Q. When you say you're thinking of taking time, are you talking about taking more weeks off or something more permanent?
JAMES BLAKE: No idea right now. I want to play this summer. I want to see what happens there.
So, you know, obviously now I've got two weeks where I'm not playing a match. I'll see how it reacts to new treatments. I'll see what happens, and then I want to play the summer.
If that means playing in pain, I'm gonna play in pain. If it means I'm back to being healthy, then I have a feeling I'm gonna want to continue. I'm gonna want to get back to the way I know I can play.
If it's continuing to play in pain, I'll reassess after the Open and see if I want to continue that. If I need to, after the Open, take the rest of the year off and then see if I can start fresh in 2011.
I don't know. It's a bit of an unknown. A lot of people think the unknown is fun. Some people think it's scary. I think it's a little bit of both. I think it's an opportunity.
If my life is gonna change after the Open, then I'll have to be anxious and see what comes next.
Q. And you don't believe in antiinflammatories because?
JAMES BLAKE: Something since I was a kid. Sort of been a bit of a health nut and thought they were something that can mess up your stomach in the long run. You can get too used to taking them and build up more and more of a tolerance and you're dependant on them.
I know rationally that doesn't make sense, because I don't feel like I have the addictive‑type personality and don't have any other vices like that or anything. But it's just something I always thought.
I way I usually feel is I like knowing what's going on in I body. If my shoulder hurts, I want to know if I'm making it worse every time I serve; if I my knee hurts, I want to know if I'm causing it more harm. I don't want anything to be masked. That's kind of the way I always felt.
And also the way I feel is if it's too much pain that I can't take it and I can't play, then I shouldn't be playing. An antiinflammatory shouldn't change that.
Q. You've been through some tough times before. The last year hadn't been great. You had the toe. I mean, obviously through it all, you've sort of said you still like being out here and enjoy playing tennis. Has that changed at all in the last few weeks? Can you talk about that?
JAMES BLAKE: I still love the competition. No doubt in my mind about that. Until the last point out there I was fighting and I thought I had a chance and I thought I could come back and get my foot back in the door and see if kind of a little bit of better form would come back. I had opportunity middle to late in the third set to get a break.
So I love the competition. The only thing that maybe has changed is it's tougher practice‑wise, but it's ‑‑ it used to be for me I was pretty single‑minded in terms of wanting to just get out and work. Whether it's hitting a million forehands, hitting a million serves, doing running, whatever it was, I wanted to keep doing it.
If it's gonna make me better to hit for longer, I'm gone hit for longer. Something like this, an overuse injury, it's a tough balance you have to find. Like I said, I want to be out there hitting, but I might be doing more harm than good to.
So it makes it hard to decide. Do I want to practice longer? Do I want to take this time off? Do I need to rest? And then I come out, and I don't feel like ‑‑ I don't have that same confidence I do when I've hit millions and millions of balls, where I've gone out there and I know I've done the work.
Here, sometimes I feel like I've done too much resting. It's great to feel fresh a little bit, but I don't know if that's for me. I have a tough time, because, again, since I was a kid, it's my mentality. I want to work harder than the next guy.
If you have an injury like I do, you can't do that work. So it's become tougher, because I want to practice more and I want to get in the gym more, and I can't.
So that makes everything a little tougher and frustrating.
Q. When are you feeling pain? On and off the court? Are there certain movements?
JAMES BLAKE: The quick reaction and loading on my right leg, so especially return of serve. When you don't know where the ball is going and you make that quick first step and push off, that's probably the most sharp pain that I feel.
Otherwise, it's sort of ‑‑ it's okay usually when I wake up. Once I put a little bit of pounding on it, it gets real tender and then just pretty consistently sore.
And then any sort of pushing off will flare it up even more.
Q. Have you seen McEnroe's book, Patrick?
JAMES BLAKE: No. Heard he had a book signing in Fairfield. I think Brian and my mom went. But I haven't seen it.
Blake Answers Facebook Fan Questions
James Blake, who is playing this week at the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles, answers questions submitted by fans on ATPWorldTour.com's facebook page. What does he think of Lady Gaga and more!
Q: Viki_cro: Is it easier to play now that you are out of spotlight, with andy, isner, and querry being american top3
A: That doesn’t really change my outlook. I’m always trying to do the best that I can, regardless of what anyone else around me is doing. If they’re playing better than me I can just tip my cap to them and try to get on the practice court and work harder and try to improve my game.
Q: jinglot25: What are your thoughts on lady gaga!!
A: [Laughs] I really don’t have many! I don’t know too many of her songs. I know that she’s always in the news and I think she does a lot of things to get attention, but she hasn’t got a lot of my attention!
Q: jinglot25: What do you want to do after tennis? Go back to harvard?
A: That’s a good question. I’d love to go back and finish at Harvard. I don’t know if I’d like to stay in tennis. I’d possibly love to open a tennis club in my hometown, Fairfield Connecticut, or maybe up in Boston where I know I could hopefully have a positive impact on kids’ lives. If I get out of tennis then I don’t know what I’d do. Possibly go into politics, but at a very local level if I did that.”
Q: Richard Remschel / Chiara Orlandi: What do you do in your free time?
A: I love playing golf. I’m still not very good at it, but I love playing. I play a lot of cards too, a lot of Poker and Hearts with the guys on the road.
Q: Clint Gay: What is your favorite fan moment from your career?
A: My first ever Davis Cup when we played India. Some of the kids that were watching made a big poster and it had my score from my first match and everything. My mom actually got it framed and I still have that poster from the sign that those kids made.
Q: Mecca Jan Lewis: Biggest perk of being pro tennis player?
A: Going to work in a t-shirt and shorts, that’s pretty good! Not having a real 9-5 job and getting to be comfortable most of the year.
Q: Mecca Jan Lewis: How do u give back?
A: I’ve got a foundation that’s a cancer research fund. All the money raised goes to cancer research at Memorial Sloan-Kettering hospital. It’s something that’s near and dear to my family. I feel like if you get the chance to attack cancer early it gives that person a fighting chance against it and hopefully I can save a lot of lives.
Q: Gina Christoforou: What is your proudest or most memorable moment in your career so far?
A: Probably the proudest and most memorable was winning Davis Cup in ’07. We’d been through a lot of wins, a lot of losses, but we really had that goal in mind for many years and to accomplish it together, and all of us be a part of it, really was special to me.
Q: Linda-Carlisle Cullen: With all your previous injuries, health problems etc. - how have you managed to stay so positive and return to the game time after time with renewed enthusiasm and determination ??
A: Well, I just know how lucky I am to be doing what I’m doing and to be given these chances. I know that at anytime it could be taken away with injuries, illness, getting older and not being able to compete at this level… So I just realise how lucky I am and try to appreciate every part of it. What makes it easy for me is that I love the hard work; it’s actually fun for me.
Q: Katerina Weekend Holiday: Who is your favourite female tennis player, in terms of game and personality???
A: I’ve got to go with Serena. She’s a good friend of mine and if I didn’t say it she might beat me up!
Q: Lina Horani: when you beat roger at the olympic games is this match your best in your whole career ?
A: That’s one of the best matches I’ve played in my whole career, definitely. Roger is, in my opinion, so far the best of all time. So to beat him at such a big stage, where he’s put all his efforts into preparing for that tournament… For me to go there and beat the best in the world was something I’ll always remember and it’s something that definitely proved I could play some pretty good tennis.
Q: Chris Fava: Why do u think its good luck not to shave your beard during a tourney?
A: I have no idea! I think it’s just silly superstitions and they usually start with whatever I do at the beginning of the week and that’s just one that I’ve always had.
Q: Vikram Rao: what were you majoring in when you were in Harvard?
A: Economics.
James Blake Viewed in the Past Tense Except By His Fans.
What a difference a half of a millimeter makes.
Last week at the Farmers Classic, James Blake saved two match points versus Feliciano Lopez and, in his attempt to save a third one, hit a backhand passing shot that looked like it caught the edge of the line but was called out. A Hawk-Eye review just showed the ball was out by only a hair giving Lopez the match. If Blake’s shot had somehow caught the line and if he had managed to pull out the win to enter the semifinals, I guarantee you the tennis press would be writing glowing articles about the prospect of a Blake “summer comeback tour”.
Instead, after Blake lost another close three set match to Ryan Sweeting in the opening round of the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington D.C, the press has already forgotten Blake’s wins in Los Angeles and have fired up their laptops to write what is an easier story to get out in time for the evening edition or whatever they call it in today’s 24/7 web news cycle – when will Blake will retire.
Despite Blake answering with a definitive “no” when asked last week in L.A. if retirement was on his mind, the number of times the “r” word popped up in articles after Blake’s loss in D.C. surprised me. After his loss in L.A., Blake seemed relaxed and even upbeat about his prospects moving forward this year. Blake said then, “I’m playing fine but I just have to play more matches and be more aggressive to win. Just have more confidence to do it in the big occasions after not having done anything in the last three or four months. And I guess it will take a little more time, but I know now it’s pretty darn close.” But the tennis media isn’t willing to wait for Blake’s prospects in the next few months or so. Instead, most of the articles written after his loss in D.C. were about Blake’s current win/loss record of 10-12 (bearing in mind that most of those losses took place before Blake went on anti-inflammatories) and how Blake’s timing and consistency on his trademark go for broke groundstrokes are well off. I find that last observation amusing since many of the other pros who were at L.A., including Andy Murray and Sam Querrey, also weren’t up to their finest form after coming back from a long post-Wimbledon break.
But I think the main reason Blake isn’t getting much love or support from the press is that Blake is perceived more for his past glories and disappointments. Several times in L.A., reporters would ask Blake not about his current health and his focus on the rest of 2010, but on his past play for the U.S. Davis Cup team, his now classic quarterfinal match against Andre Agassi at the 2005 U.S. Open (which many feel Blake lost more than Agassi won it) and his thoughts on the current generation of American players John Isner, Sam Querrey and even Andy Roddick who’s only two years younger than Blake. It’s not that I’m opposed to asking players questions about past wins or accomplishments, but when those inquiries are weighted too much in the “What would you say is your finest achievement category?” then you know pretty much what story the reporter is going to run with no matter how well you played on court today.
Can James Blake make it back into the top 50 or even top 20? Who knows. We’ll have to wait and see how his health and a crop of younger players factor into all of that. For me, the real sign that James Blake is still relevant on the tour is the amount of support he received from fans while in Los Angeles who didn’t really care about Blake’s current win/loss ratio or even knew about his recent knee troubles. All they saw on court was a player who, although he doesn’t have a Grand Slam title like Roddick, comes across to them as the likable and articulate veteran who still delights fans with his speedy shotmaking style. Perhaps it is this support from fans who still believe in Blake’s future, rather than dwelling on his past, that could propel him to one more great accomplishment to add to his history.
Blake Says “No” to Retiring While Lopez Enters L.A. Semis
Although fans who watched James Blake lose a tight three set match to Spain’s Feliciano Lopez 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 might have been disappointed at the result, especially on match point when Blake hit a backhand passing shot that just barely missed the line, Blake himself afterwards chose to dwell on the positive and put to rest any thoughts that his retirement was imminent.
But in listening to each talk about the match, it struck me how both men continually have to deal with being in the shadows to both former and current champions from their respective countries.
In his press conference, Blake looked upbeat and expressed renewed desire for not only the rest of the summer but the rest of the year as well. “I’m playing fine but I just have to play more matches and be more aggressive to win. Just have more confidence to do it in the big occasions after not having done anything in the last three or four months. And I guess it will take a little more time, but I know now it’s pretty darn close.” Regarding his earlier talk about possibly retiring and the likelihood that would happen, Blake said, “Nope not anymore. At that time I was dealing with some knee pain that was very frustrating for me. I feel so much better now than in the last two months.”
What was interesting to me was when Blake was asked questions about his place in the overall scheme of U.S. tennis history including his epic match against Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open quarterfinals and how his generation of players (Andy Roddick, Todd Martin) along with the newer players to emerge (John Isner and Sam Querrey) compared to players like John McEnroe and Pete Sampras. The phrase “Band of Brothers” was offered by one reporter to describe the bond Blake, Roddick and the younger players all share both on and off the courts. Blake agreed with that by talking about how they all became friends as they rose through the ranks. “I hope that’s sort of our mark as our generation. We won’t have the titles of the Sampras’s or Agassi’s and the (Michael) Chang’s. We’ve made American tennis (like) a “Band of Brothers”. We try to help each other and bring up the level of all of us.”
Later, Feliciano Lopez got into similar territory after he said that his best moment so far this year was defeating countryman and World No. 1 Rafael Nadal at Queen’s Club earlier this year. When asked what was the best part of Nadal’s game, Lopez simply tapped his head several times. “I think Rafa has the best mentality in all of sports.” More questions ensued about how he thought Nadal compared to Federer which Lopez answered by saying he still thought Federer was the best player of all time. Lopez was diplomatic in answering all of the Nadal questions, but his own excitement at making it into the semifinals of L.A. definitely got overshadowed by continued inquiries about the Nadal/Federer rivalry.
Lopez, also a lefty, like Nadal has a big serve (he clocked in one ace at 134 mph) along with having a stylish net game. Despite him earning many fans for his very conspicuous shirtless practice sessions on the UCLA Tennis Center, Lopez will have an opportunity to prove he’s more than just tennis eye candy when he takes on some time hitting partner Andy Murray in tomorrow’s semifinals.
By³y czwarty tenisista w rankingu ATP World Tour - Amerykanin James Blake powa¿nie rozwa¿a mo¿liwo¶æ zakoñczenia sportowej kariery po US Open. 30-latek, nêkany kontuzjami, wci±¿ nie mo¿e odnale¼æ wysokiej formy sprzed lat i obecnie jest 107. na ¶wiecie.
Po wystêpie w ostatnim z czterech najwa¿niejszych turniejów w sezonie na twardych kortach w Nowym Jorku (30 sierpnia - 12 wrze¶nia), Blake planuje d³u¿sz± przerwê w startach. Podczas niej zastanowi siê czy kontynuowaæ karierê.
- Ci±gle mi co¶ dolega, a ostatnio szczególnie mam problem z kolanami. Ju¿ my¶la³em, ¿e jest z nimi wszystko w porz±dku, ale znowu mnie bol± i utrudniaj± bieganie. Wci±¿ nie gra mi siê dobrze, nawet w turniejach, w których zawsze mi dobrze sz³o. Nie wierzê ju¿ chyba w to, ¿e móg³bym poprawiæ swoj± grê i znów wygrywaæ po kilka meczów z rzêdu - powiedzia³ Blake.
Amerykanin odpad³ w tym tygodniu w pierwszej rundzie turnieju ATP Masters 1000 na twardych kortach w Cincinnati (z pul± nagród 2,43 mln dol.), ponosz±c pora¿kê z Denisem Istominem z Uzbekistanu 3:6, 0:6.
- Spróbujê jeszcze zagraæ w US Open, ale potem muszê odpocz±æ i zrobiæ sobie d³u¿sz± przerwê. Je¶li mi ona nie pomo¿e, to raczej zrezygnujê na dobre z tenisa. Nie wiem, czy decyzjê podejmê w przysz³ym roku, czy te¿ pó¼niej. Na razie mam trochê do¶æ - doda³ Blake, który ma w dorobku dziesiêæ triumfów w turniejach ATP Tour oraz blisko siedem milionów dolarów zarobionych na korcie.
W listopadzie 2006 roku, zanim zaczê³y siê jego problemy zdrowotne, by³ sklasyfikowany na czwartym miejscu w rankingu, najwy¿szym w karierze.
Blake looking for a real rest after US Open
James Blake may have begun clawing back his career with a 35-minute win at home on New Haven, but the sinking American player is not ready to chase ATP points all over the world once his US Open is done.
Blake, now ranked a dismal 111, had won just two of his last eight matches before thrashing first-round Spanish opponent Pere Riba-Madrid 6-0, 6-1.
The veteran who once stood in the top ten ranking as a regular along with compatriot Andy Roddick, has said that he is not prepared to go to Asia in the autumn and play. With his ranking, he would almost surely be relegated to doubles.
"As much as it might seem like doubles is easy, it's still taxing on the body. I'm not gonna put myself through that. That's been my problem. All the times I've tried to rest in the past I've still been doing other stuff: lifting weights, I've still been doing core work in the pool."
Blake says that at age 30 he will listen to his body. "Maybe its telling me that there is a time for a real break. I haven't had an actual vacation in probably five, six years.
"Maybe it's time to take a little break and take a step back and put the racquets down. I hear about a lot other guys after the season really putting the racquets down for a while, and I've never been the type that can do that. I want to get back out on the court."
"Maybe after the Open it's time to put 'em down for a couple weeks and see where my head's at and body's at after that."
At 30, Blake hoping for U.S. Open run
NEW YORK -- With the sun dipped low beyond the edge of Louis Armstrong Stadium, James Blake caught a break. He had dominated Kristof Vliegen for the first two sets of their first-round match, but Vliegen had started to make things more difficult for the Yonkers native.
He broke Blake, Blake broke back and Vliegen turned to spit after an error on a backhand volley had Blake serving for the set. But Vliegen pushed Blake to deuce and on the third one wrested a break point -- when the string on Vliegen's racket popped with a twang.
Disgusted, the Belgian tossed his racket to the bag and selected another one to lose the match with.
"It looked like his [string] got pretty loose quickly," Blake said. "Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good."
Final score, Blake makes it to the second round 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, where he will face Canadian qualifier Peter Polansky.
The stands were a little more than a third filled to watch Blake play in Flushing. It was the same stage where he faced Lleyton Hewitt in 2001, a promising performance that ended with a loss and a perceived racial slur, both of which Blake handled with grace.
Despite the following from Fairfield, Conn., where he moved as a child, Blake never progressed beyond the quarterfinals at his hometown Grand Slam event. At age 30, and with his ranking down to No. 108 after a summer of injuries, Blake doesn't have many chances left.
"I think my biggest hope for James from this point forward is he can get healthy enough to have a run that he would like," his friend Andy Roddick said. "You know, have a fair shot at playing continuously for a window, whatever that would be."
Blake takes inspiration from Andre Agassi, who dropped to No. 141 in the rankings before surging back to top form, even beating a younger Blake when he was in his mid-30s.
So it was good news that Blake got through relatively quickly Tuesday night.
"[The body] is getting older and there's plenty of miles on it," Blake said.
Jane McManus is a columnist for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow her on Twitter.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwyciêstwie w 1 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. What did you think when you heard the string break on break point in the third set?
JAMES BLAKE: I assumed he was going to get into net. He stayed back. I was surprised. Once I saw that, it was a little tricky because you don't want to be nervous and just push it in and let him take one free rip, especially with the strings these days, some of the polymono [phonetic] ones, they can hold their tension pretty well. Looks like his got loose pretty quickly. Sometimes better to be lucky than good.
Q. Got to feel good for you getting through that first one in straight sets.
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, it's a great feeling. Any time you win a match, harken back to the days when my biggest goal and biggest dream was to win a round at the US Open. Somewhere along the way to some people it started to get taken for granted. It's still exciting for me to win a match here, to have fans that are excited to see me play and get to play again in front of some great fans. I'm happy to get through. Kristof's a great player. Beaten me before. He's had some unfortunate injury problems in the last year or so. I know he probably wasn't at his best today and hasn't been at his best this year. But he fought hard, taking advantage of a late break, really made me work for it at the end. Really just happy to get through and hopefully put as little stress on my body as possible since it's getting older and there's plenty of miles on it these days.
Q. At this stage, do you appreciate the fan support more than you used to?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't like to say I ever didn't appreciate it because I really always had a great time here and fed off of them. I play with emotion. It has always helped me. But I think in '04 when my career could have ended, it made me realize that it can end at any time, and I wanted to appreciate those things a lot more because, you know, any injury could stop it. I want to remember what this feels like. I've talked to some retired players that say, Just enjoy it as long as you can. That's what I'm trying to do. You know, I definitely know when I retire, whenever I'm done, that's what I'm going to miss the most is the competition and the fans. That's what I missed the most when I was gone, what I looked forward to so much when I came back, was the big points and the crowd reaction when you do something great, how much they support you. So I always try to appreciate it. I definitely appreciate it more as I know I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I want to keep playing as long as I can. I know the fans help get me through it.
Q. Did that feel like a farewell at all last night, the ceremony?
JAMES BLAKE: A couple people mentioned something like that to me. They're trying to get rid of me already (smiling). I hope that's not the case. But, you know, I was just really honored to be there. I didn't think of that until it came up yesterday when someone sort of mentioned that to me, 'cause I really, when I got the call first or email first actually about being a part of it, I didn't tell any of my friends or even my coach or anyone, because I thought in a couple weeks they were going to call and tell me, We found someone better, forget it, you don't need to be here for it. Once it became real that I was a part of it, I was just proud to know that their message of someone that's inspired others, career that's inspired others is something that is shocking to me. Seemed like I was going through life day to day. I remember people talking about the scoliosis being such a great effort, going to the Shriner's Hospital, wearing a back brace, to me it seemed normal, because it's the only thing I knew. The only thing I knew was to come back when I was hurt. It really is something to look back on when I'm done playing. I guess it's okay to look back while I'm still playing. I think I'll appreciate it even more when I'm done and know there are kids out there that looked up to me, there are people that hopefully were inspired and saw that I succeeded in what I wanted to do. I don't think I want to put it all into perspective quite yet, because I think I've got more career left in me, more good tennis. I'm looking forward to that. Then when I'm done, I really hope I can sit back and really be proud. That was the first and only goal I've ever had in tennis, when I put my racquets down to know I did the best I could and have no regrets. Last night was a good step to showing I've done my best so far.
Q. Andre Agassi might be up for the Hall of Fame pretty quickly. What are some of your thoughts about his contribution to the game of tennis and your own personal interactions with him when you wore the outfit as an homage?
JAMES BLAKE: It's going to be tough for him to get in. I don't know if he's got the credentials (smiling). I think it's going to be something that I'd like to see 'cause he's such a great speaker. I think we all remember his speech here in his last match. He's someone that also played with a little bit of emotion and fed off the crowd and enjoyed tennis and appreciated as much, had a second career as well when he dropped all the way down to 141 and came back to No. 1. What he did, he belonged there last night as well as someone that's inspired so many others, including myself. He finished here, he beat me when he was 35, I think, 34, 35. You know, there's a chance I still could be playing in four or five more years. His brand of tennis maybe took a little less punishment on his body because he was the one doling out all the punishment. I'm proud to say I'm a friend of his. He's someone that helped me. You wouldn't think of a superstar like that calling a young kid to give him a scouting report, helping him out when he really didn't need to, treating him at his nightclub in Las Vegas. Everything you could think of for a superstar they normally wouldn't do, he was there to do. To be a normal guy, to be one of the guys in the locker room, I respected him so much for that. A great talent. I'm sure his speech is going to indicate how much he got out of the sport of tennis and how much we got from him. I think we're going to reflect how much we got from him. Just a great champion and someone that helped the game.
Q. What are your thoughts on the Mardy Fish transformation, both in his physique and his mental approach?
JAMES BLAKE: He's playing great. I remember a couple years ago when he played me here, I've always seen him I practice with him all the time, so I know he's got a ton of talent. Seemed like he kept getting snake bit. Get a little roll going, then he'd get injured. Get a little roll going, then he'd get injured. Now he's been healthy this whole year. He's really committed to his fitness, to his nutrition. The results are showing. When he's playing well, there's no doubt in my mind he's a top 20 player. It's just a matter of him staying healthy. He's committed to it. Doesn't mean there's a guarantee. There's still bad luck. Anyone can roll an ankle. Doesn't matter how fit you are; you can roll an ankle, pull a hamstring. He's doing everything he can now to be a success and it's showing. Even though he's not my neighbor anymore, I kind of miss him. He's still one of my best friends. He's just doing great, singles and doubles. He's competing so hard, even grinding out a few matches. I mean, I know maybe a few years ago when he was young, if he won the first set 6 0 and lost the next two sets, there might be a few smashed racquets in his bag, he might have been a little upset, but he fought hard today and continues to do that. I'm really happy for him. It's a great sign for American tennis to let people know that it's not just Andy and myself, the guys that are getting older. It's not Isner and Querrey, the young guys. Mardy has been a great player for a long time. He deserves a ton of credit.
Q. What do you make of all the weight he lost, how he handled his diet and what he's done now?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, I think he didn't know exactly what else he could do when he was injured. That's sometimes the way I felt when I was injured is that you want to do what you can, but you're limited. He was limited because he couldn't do much on his knee. So he took it upon himself to really focus on the nutrition, which is a very mature and professional attitude. He stuck with it all year. It's showing in better fitness, better agility, better footwork. He's able to keep just as much power. So it works for him. I think everyone's different. Some people, their physiques are just a little bigger, a little smaller than others. In an individual sport, you have to find what works for you. Even if it takes till you're 28 years old, he's finding what works best for him. For me it took a little longer than some others. Guys like Andy Roddick were pretty committed to his game, confident in what he was doing at a young age. In an individual sport, it's just finding what works. He's done a great job of finding what works, being mentally tough to fight through it. 'Cause, like I said, he'd been snake bit. That's going to wear on you a lot if you never feel like you can get a real roll going throughout a year, two years, and he's kept fighting. I'm really happy for him.
Q. How would you describe what the vibe is here around the grounds at the stadium when you play a night match here?
JAMES BLAKE: Night matches get crazy here and I love it. Fans have a few drinks, usually the women's match. Seems like when I'm playing a night match, the women's match takes at least three hours. So it's always really late. They have plenty of fun, plenty of Heinekens. They're enjoying themselves. A lot of times, since it's the only match on, they just want to see more tennis. You get up. You almost feel bad if you're trying to win it quickly and get off, especially the way I play, I play quick. They want to see more tennis. I think that's why it was exciting that match I played with Agassi. I think he was probably the crowd favorite at the start. I won the first two, and then he was the huge crowd favorite. They wanted him to come back. The fifth set, I think they were torn. They wanted to see more tennis. It's a lot of fun. It's really tough to get New York excited about any one thing. Night matches, it seems like all they care about is tennis. They get excited for it. That's an energy you don't get too often at any other sporting event. I'm thrilled to have been a part of as many as I have been and hope I have a few more in me.
Q. Did you see Roger's trick shot last night?
JAMES BLAKE: I saw it on TV today.
Q. Can you talk about that as a player.
JAMES BLAKE: I think a lot of the guys on tour have tried those in practice and messed around. We're pretty excited when we make it in practice, not on Arthur Ashe Stadium. He's got the confidence to do it. He's pretty impressive. I don't know if anyone knew before that, but he's a pretty good athlete.
Q. Did you see the video where he knocks the can off somebody's head?
JAMES BLAKE: I haven't seen it. I heard about it. Then I heard there was like a controversy as to whether or not it was real or it was just Photoshopped. I haven't seen it and have no idea. Sorry.
Q. Is that something you would ever try if someone posed that challenge to you?
JAMES BLAKE: I better not like the person very much (laughter). I wouldn't trust my accuracy with that. Depends how far they are, but I wouldn't trust my accuracy hitting the ball hitting a can off someone's head. Like I say, Roger's a pretty good athlete.
Q. Good enough, though, to take on that kind of a challenge, that's unrealistic, even for a professional tennis player?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know how hard he hit it. The ball is only two ounces. But if he's firing it in, that's going to sting on someone's head. It will take someone pretty brave to stand in there. I think even Roger's accuracy might not be perfect every time. Like I said, I haven't seen it, so I don't really know how hard he's hitting it or what. I wouldn't hit a ball as hard as I could anywhere near someone's head.
Q. You played a lot of great matches here. Does the win over Youzhny in Portland in '07 stand out for you still as your greatest match of your career?
JAMES BLAKE: It's the most memorable, yeah. That's the one that I think I'll remember forever 'cause that Davis Cup team was one that had been through a lot together. We played so many matches together, I think the most of any group, specific group, in U.S. history. We just had so much fun together. We had won a lot, we had lost a lot. We made it through that whole journey, got to the finals, and we all contributed. Andy won. I won a close one. The Bryans closed it out. We were all part of that year, part of that victory, shared holding that victory, being part of something special. For me, that was pretty darn exciting, especially since I lost to him the year before on the clay in Russia. To get a win over him, three tiebreaks, it wasn't on cruise control by any stretch. Came through in a lot of big points, had a lot of confidence at that time. Had the fans and the team right behind me. That's always going to be a pretty good memory. When you have the Bryan twins playing doubles for you, you feel pretty confident going into Saturday up 2 0.
Q. As an outsider, it seems surprising that a guy could have been a pro tennis player, an elite player, then have 30 pounds to lose. Where would you get it?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, he's got a game that makes it possible to do that. His hand eye is so good, I've learned that from playing golf with him. His athleticism in his hands his just unbelievable. He was able to dictate play so much. It's the way Agassi was when he played. He had that kind of hand eye. He could pick a ball off the baseline and just rip it for a winner. That's the way Mardy was with a huge serve as well. So he was able to do that. I think also that was the heaviest he was when he had the surgery, because he wasn't able to train before that. I think normally he wasn't playing at 206, whatever it said he was. I don't think he was normally playing at that weight. I think that was the extreme.
Q. Is he going to start a trend among guys?
JAMES BLAKE: Not with me. I usually try to put on weight. That was my problem when I was younger is that I couldn't keep weight on. I would lose weight as I went to tournaments. Like I said, everyone's body is different. I know every girl I talk to hates me because I say I have to force food in every time, and it's hard. For some reason, they're not crying tears of sympathy that I have to force an extra dinner in or food in or an extra Power Bar. It's just different for everyone. If I didn't work at staying at a specific weight, I'd lose weight and wouldn't have enough really in the tank for five setters or anything like that.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwyciêstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. So what can tennis fans expect from you this tournament? What do you want out of this tournament at this point?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, what they can expect is hopefully some more pretty high level tennis and a lot of fun. Like I said out there on the court, people say I've been struggling and everything, but I'm still having fun. I'm still having a great time competing. I still love what I do. Out here, I love it even more. When I have the fans behind me, they helped me get through that at the end. I'm going to show some emotion out there and try to get the fans involved. I'm going to do my best. That's what they can expect from me. What my expectations are, pretty similar; I'm just going to go out and do my best. Come up against a guy playing his best tennis and not have a lot in my control. But if I'm dictating, play the way I know I can play, hopefully I'll be able to control some more matches and hopefully have another good run here.
Q. Is your body at the point where you can play your best?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, at times, yeah. It's just what I've missed out on, especially this summer, similar to '05 when I was coming back, the consistency. When you're training, you know your level is never going to drop very much because you've been putting in hours and hours and hours. Almost seems like second nature. You can never really put it on cruise control because the guys are too good. But you also feel like it comes much more easily. Now, it takes a lot more work and there are days when it's just not there 'cause I haven't put in the same amount of time because I haven't been able to because of some injuries and things. That doesn't mean I can't go out and play some pretty good tennis at times. Tonight I showed that. I played a pretty passive, you know, not so spectacular first set, especially in the tiebreaker today. But turned it around, played great. Then, again, had a little hiccup that I might not have had if I had, you know, if I had tons of time on the practice court, tons of matches this summer where I gave back two breaks in the fourth set. That doesn't mean I can't play some pretty good tennis to get the break and hold at 4 All and 5 4, especially with the crowd helping me. I think it will allow me to. I think you saw tonight there were some shots I was getting to that even some 21 and 22 year olds might not have been getting to. It's a matter of doing it over and over. I'm sure I'll be even tougher the next match because guys are going to be getting to possibly a higher and higher level every round you get through, because they're going to be more and more confident. We'll see how it goes. But I'm definitely gaining confidence by the match. Winning the match like that, I know he's a qualifier, but he played pretty darn well at times. I'm proud to get through that, give me another chance on Saturday.
Q. At Wimbledon, did you say you were not going to take anti inflammatories for the knee? Did you change your mind on that?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I changed my mind. I've been asked many times what my goals were for tennis. I always say the same thing. When I'm done, I want to have no regrets. I didn't want to get to a point where I was forced into a decision of playing through too much pain to make it intolerable. I didn't want to be sitting around five years from now saying I could have extended my career if I listened to all the doctors and trainers who say, Take some Motrin, a couple anti inflammatories. So I did. I've been taking them since after Wimbledon. My knees are feeling great. Other things, little nagging injuries, my shoulders, my hamstrings. But that was not the same as the knee how it was getting worse and worse, bothering me all the time.
Q. How different is the mental approach when the expectations are different than when you were at the top of your game?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, they're definitely different from the outside. But from the inside they're not. I step on the court, I see the person on the other side, I want to win. I don't think about someone being ranked No. 1. I don't think about whatever Peter Polansky was ranked. I don't even know what he was ranked, 200 probably. He's a qualifier. I know he's outside of the top hundred. I don't think about that. I just want to win. If it takes five sets because he's playing great, so be it. If it takes three sets and he has an off day or I'm playing really well, so be it. I just want to go out there and win. So my expectations are for me to play my best. So it doesn't change what I'm doing on my side of the court. It might change what people on the outside think of what court I'm playing on. But I still want to do my best and I still believe I have good tennis in me. Sometimes that's what's gotten me so far in my career, but sometimes that can be a detriment because I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. When things aren't going well, I'll get down on myself and be pretty harsh because I expect a lot and I expect to be good even when I haven't had the same kind of practice time I need and I haven't had the same kind of time in the gym or on the track. But I still expect to play well and I still expect to win.
Q. We all have regrets in our lives. You mentioned regrets. You've had some tough spots, the Andre match, the Olympic situation. What are the one or two regrets that you have that you could change if you could go back?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, at this point I'm staying true to my goal. I don't have any regrets. You say everyone has regrets. I'm sure I have regrets in other parts of my life. I don't regret the way I've gone after my career. To say that I regret the results, to me, is almost selfish to say that I expect better or I should have done better, could have done better, or I should have won that. I do the best I can with the talent I was given and I compete as hard as I can. If anything, any regrets might have been, you know, some of the things that I went through trial and error when I was early on in my career, trying to play too defensive, trying to play a little passive, changing my string, just little things like that that I had to go through trial and error. I mean, I wish I didn't have to go through those, but I had to find out what works best for me. It took me a couple years, took me a while. I know a lot of people, a lot of commentators have criticized me for my style of play or the fact that I'm so committed to one style of play. But a lot of them didn't see me when I was 19, 20, 21 years old losing first and second rounds of challengers because I was trying all the other styles of play. Coming to the realization there's one style that works for me that uses my talents to the best of my ability. That's why I stick to it, because if I don't do that, you know, I'm not going to be good. I'm not even going to be at this level because I was losing second and third round of challengers pretty consistently. I know that. I wish I didn't take so long to figure that out. But that's what you have to go through in life. I don't regret losing to Andre. I don't regret losing to Fernando González. Because I did my best. I competed as hard as I could. Those guys came up bigger in big moments than me. If I sit here and say, Why couldn't I win those? It's almost selfish. There are a lot of people saying, Why can't I have a career like James'? Why was I able to stay healthy? Why was I able to come back from injury and illness? Why was I able to play on the biggest court in the world? Why was I able to win Davis Cup? If I'm going to ask why I haven't had more success, I've got to ask why I've had so much success. So I just come and do the best I can with what I was given.
Q. You've always been a fearless thinker. Your play was extraordinary out there on the stadium. You were back to your peak form. Do you really believe you can win this tournament? Are you thinking that big?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, you know, I generally don't go into a Grand Slam thinking about, you know, the end result. I think about each match because three out of five sets, there can be so many ups and downs in one match that you got to try to worry about those. If I start worrying -- even when I was at 4 in the world, 5 in the world, 6 in the world, if I started thinking ahead to the second or third round, I'd be in big trouble in that first match. I just don't -- I don't know, I can't speak to how Roger and Rafa and Novak and those guys go about it. But when I was up pretty high in the world, I couldn't do that. I didn't have that ability 'cause I have to focus on each match; otherwise I was in big trouble. I don't know if they have a cruise control they can hit, get through a few rounds. I've never had that. Right now I'm worried about the next match, and after that I'll see. If I get into the second week, fourth round, quarters, then it starts dawning on you that it's possible. It gets real close. It's just a matter of winning a few matches. There's no reason it can't be you. Right now I need to get through my next round, and then maybe after that we'll start talking about the final Sunday.
Q. If it is Djokovic, how would you describe that matchup?
JAMES BLAKE: I mean, I'm sure if people on the outside are looking at it, you've got to think that he's the favorite. What is he, 3 in the world right now? Played some great tennis. Plays very well on hard courts. I think he's been a finalist here before. Got through a pretty tough first round which can be beneficial to some guys to get tested early. But the only time we played was a pretty close match in the Olympics. A really difficult situation because we're so used to playing a tournament and you win, you move on; you lose, you go home. That's one where you lose and you play the next day. I think both of us were a little shaken up about it because it means so much to you, but you're not used to losing and then coming back and playing. That was a difficult situation. But he played well. We had a pretty tight match. I would expect it to be a pretty good match. He's one of the, I'd say, more underrated serves in the game. He's got a great service motion, a great serve, one of the best backhands in the game. His movement is unbelievable. I'm going to have to play well, that's for sure. If I go out there and I start dictating, I feel like I have a good shot. But there's also a good shot that he comes out and plays great tennis and proves why he's No. 3 in the world right now. But it will be on Ashe Stadium. I think I'll have pretty good crowd support. Hopefully I can come up with some of my best as I've been known to do at the Open before.
Q. Looked like your confidence was growing during the match. In the tiebreaker, you really sprayed some shots pretty awfully. Was that an issue of confidence?
JAMES BLAKE: No. I don't know what that was (smiling). When I play pretty aggressive tennis, there's going to be patches where you just miss a few in a row. Unfortunately that happened at an important time. I missed I think three or four forehands in a row. Like you said, they weren't pretty. That's when I sat down on the changeover after that, thought about the set, kind of going through it in my mind. You know what? I did everything right. It wasn't like I was going for crazy shots or anything. I wasn't trying anything low percentage. I just went for my shots and missed. I thought, Okay, you know what? It was great for me because I didn't panic. It's three out of five. I have time. I did everything right, everything I needed to do in that set. I just didn't execute. So if you keep concentrating, keep the positive attitude, keep playing that way, the shots are going to go in. I had enough confidence in myself they were going to start going in. They did. He maybe blinked a little early in the second set, made a couple of mistakes. That gave me enough confidence to keep going. Like you said, my confidence was growing and growing because I was doing the right things, and it was a matter of executing and they started going in.
Q. You have the Mets cap on. Should Manuel go?
JAMES BLAKE: Man, I don't know. I don't want to start a feud with them.
Q. Talk as a fan.
JAMES BLAKE: As a fan, I'd love to see some change because the last couple years have been rough. I like the guys. Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Santana has had a great year, just such hard luck. He has no run support. I think it might be time for a change. Hopefully they can have a better year next year.
Q. Who do you see as manager?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I'm a tennis player, not a baseball player. I don't know who is the best candidate. But maybe it's time for a change. We'll see.
Q. You got pretty heated with the chair umpire. What was that exchange about?
JAMES BLAKE: I mean, I wouldn't say 'heated.' I don't think there were any cusses dropped or anything that confrontational. I just said that I take issue when there's an overrule and then the Hawk Eye proves the overrule wrong. A general rule, what they say for an overrule, it has to be a clear mistake. If they're gonna say that was a clear mistake, you have to be pretty darn sure you're right. He said, Yeah, that was a clear mistake. I challenged it. The ball is out. So he was wrong. I think a game or two later he overruled another one that he was actually correct, but it was so close that I said, You can't really be sure. You don't want to overrule unless it is clear, unless it's flush on the line, inside the line. He said he's got to overrule the way he sees it. He's human, so he makes mistakes. That's where we left it pretty much.
Q. As the age of the top men and women skews older, do you think more kids will choose to go the college route like you and Robert Kendrick did, or will there always be people turning pro early?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I think it's gonna -- I think it's still sort of a little bit of chaos theory. I think there's going to be times where there's a lot of guys coming out of college and times when it goes straight to the pros, mainly because this sport is so individual. What works for me would never work for Andy Roddick. What worked for Sampras wouldn't work for Agassi, wouldn't work for Courier. So to find the best position for everyone, you got to be an individual. I think it's sad sometimes when a lot of coaches are going to say, Okay, you're going to be the next Agassi. We're going to fit you into this mold. Agassi didn't say that. He created his own style. He played the way he needed to play to play his best. You look at Andy Roddick's service motion, I don't think anyone said this is going to be like someone else's. That's his own, what works best for him. What works best for me, I've figured out I'm not in the mold of Sampras, Agassi, Chang. I play my game. I wasn't ready physically or mentally at 17 years old to turn pro. Andy Roddick was. So I think it's a very individual thing, very individual decision. Sam Querrey was one where he was maybe on the fence. Then he went and won a couple challengers, proved he was pro material right from the start and he didn't go to college. It's been a great decision. Same with Robby Ginepri and Mardy Fish. Then there's some guys that should go to college. Bradley Klahn is in college and is going back, though he probably has the ability to play out here at a certain level, pretty high challenger level, maybe tour level, but he thinks he needs another year of college or maybe even two. It's just so individual that I think you got to let people make their own decisions and you can't say one way is right or wrong. I probably wouldn't have been as good of a player if I turned pro right away because it would have killed my confidence. If I came out here at 17 and got beat up time after time after time in futures, challengers, by the time I was 20 years old, I would be burned out of losing. Instead I went for two years and won 90 matches in college and had a lot of fun, had a great time with my teammates, learned how to be a freshman and carry the bags, you know, do all that kind of stuff. It helped me. It helped me to, in my opinion, be a normal person. I think that is part of the reason I got so many friends out there and I end up paying so much for tickets when I'm here is that I got college friends, high school buddies that don't know much about tennis that I can talk to about our economics classes instead of worrying if my forehand's okay. I feel lucky that I did that. Obviously things worked out well for Andy and Mardy and Sam, as well. Me and Isner and Kendrick are the two or three out here that have tried college and went that route and it worked out well for us, too.
Q. Your confidence level sounds much greater than it's been anytime this summer. Is that because you're at the Open? Is it because you felt like the tennis was coming anyway, you just needed a couple wins and then things would start to click?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I felt like the tennis has been coming. That's why it's been frustrating with the inconsistency, where it goes one good match, one bad match, one good match. That gets pretty frustrating. Like I said before, I'm kind of a perfectionist. I expect a lot out of myself. When I do come to the Open, there is definitely something different, some memories for me, some good feelings. You know, tonight having the crowd there, it made a big difference, getting that double fault at 4 All in the fourth set. I mean, I know Peter is a young guy and definitely felt the pressure there were seven or eight thousand people cheering for me right then. That makes a big difference. Just the energy level from the crowd gets my feet moving a little better. When I'm moving my feet, I'm playing some of my best tennis, if I'm playing that aggressive with my feet. I think that's helping my confidence. Once you start getting a couple wins, you really start believing anything's possible.
US Open 2010 - wywiad po zwyciêstwie w 2 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. So what can tennis fans expect from you this tournament? What do you want out of this tournament at this point?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, what they can expect is hopefully some more pretty high level tennis and a lot of fun. Like I said out there on the court, people say I've been struggling and everything, but I'm still having fun. I'm still having a great time competing. I still love what I do. Out here, I love it even more. When I have the fans behind me, they helped me get through that at the end. I'm going to show some emotion out there and try to get the fans involved. I'm going to do my best. That's what they can expect from me. What my expectations are, pretty similar; I'm just going to go out and do my best. Come up against a guy playing his best tennis and not have a lot in my control. But if I'm dictating, play the way I know I can play, hopefully I'll be able to control some more matches and hopefully have another good run here.
Q. Is your body at the point where you can play your best?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, at times, yeah. It's just what I've missed out on, especially this summer, similar to '05 when I was coming back, the consistency. When you're training, you know your level is never going to drop very much because you've been putting in hours and hours and hours. Almost seems like second nature. You can never really put it on cruise control because the guys are too good. But you also feel like it comes much more easily. Now, it takes a lot more work and there are days when it's just not there 'cause I haven't put in the same amount of time because I haven't been able to because of some injuries and things. That doesn't mean I can't go out and play some pretty good tennis at times. Tonight I showed that. I played a pretty passive, you know, not so spectacular first set, especially in the tiebreaker today. But turned it around, played great. Then, again, had a little hiccup that I might not have had if I had, you know, if I had tons of time on the practice court, tons of matches this summer where I gave back two breaks in the fourth set. That doesn't mean I can't play some pretty good tennis to get the break and hold at 4 All and 5 4, especially with the crowd helping me. I think it will allow me to. I think you saw tonight there were some shots I was getting to that even some 21 and 22 year olds might not have been getting to. It's a matter of doing it over and over. I'm sure I'll be even tougher the next match because guys are going to be getting to possibly a higher and higher level every round you get through, because they're going to be more and more confident. We'll see how it goes. But I'm definitely gaining confidence by the match. Winning the match like that, I know he's a qualifier, but he played pretty darn well at times. I'm proud to get through that, give me another chance on Saturday.
Q. At Wimbledon, did you say you were not going to take anti inflammatories for the knee? Did you change your mind on that?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I changed my mind. I've been asked many times what my goals were for tennis. I always say the same thing. When I'm done, I want to have no regrets. I didn't want to get to a point where I was forced into a decision of playing through too much pain to make it intolerable. I didn't want to be sitting around five years from now saying I could have extended my career if I listened to all the doctors and trainers who say, Take some Motrin, a couple anti inflammatories. So I did. I've been taking them since after Wimbledon. My knees are feeling great. Other things, little nagging injuries, my shoulders, my hamstrings. But that was not the same as the knee how it was getting worse and worse, bothering me all the time.
Q. How different is the mental approach when the expectations are different than when you were at the top of your game?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, they're definitely different from the outside. But from the inside they're not. I step on the court, I see the person on the other side, I want to win. I don't think about someone being ranked No. 1. I don't think about whatever Peter Polansky was ranked. I don't even know what he was ranked, 200 probably. He's a qualifier. I know he's outside of the top hundred. I don't think about that. I just want to win. If it takes five sets because he's playing great, so be it. If it takes three sets and he has an off day or I'm playing really well, so be it. I just want to go out there and win. So my expectations are for me to play my best. So it doesn't change what I'm doing on my side of the court. It might change what people on the outside think of what court I'm playing on. But I still want to do my best and I still believe I have good tennis in me. Sometimes that's what's gotten me so far in my career, but sometimes that can be a detriment because I'm a little bit of a perfectionist. When things aren't going well, I'll get down on myself and be pretty harsh because I expect a lot and I expect to be good even when I haven't had the same kind of practice time I need and I haven't had the same kind of time in the gym or on the track. But I still expect to play well and I still expect to win.
Q. We all have regrets in our lives. You mentioned regrets. You've had some tough spots, the Andre match, the Olympic situation. What are the one or two regrets that you have that you could change if you could go back?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, at this point I'm staying true to my goal. I don't have any regrets. You say everyone has regrets. I'm sure I have regrets in other parts of my life. I don't regret the way I've gone after my career. To say that I regret the results, to me, is almost selfish to say that I expect better or I should have done better, could have done better, or I should have won that. I do the best I can with the talent I was given and I compete as hard as I can. If anything, any regrets might have been, you know, some of the things that I went through trial and error when I was early on in my career, trying to play too defensive, trying to play a little passive, changing my string, just little things like that that I had to go through trial and error. I mean, I wish I didn't have to go through those, but I had to find out what works best for me. It took me a couple years, took me a while. I know a lot of people, a lot of commentators have criticized me for my style of play or the fact that I'm so committed to one style of play. But a lot of them didn't see me when I was 19, 20, 21 years old losing first and second rounds of challengers because I was trying all the other styles of play. Coming to the realization there's one style that works for me that uses my talents to the best of my ability. That's why I stick to it, because if I don't do that, you know, I'm not going to be good. I'm not even going to be at this level because I was losing second and third round of challengers pretty consistently. I know that. I wish I didn't take so long to figure that out. But that's what you have to go through in life. I don't regret losing to Andre. I don't regret losing to Fernando González. Because I did my best. I competed as hard as I could. Those guys came up bigger in big moments than me. If I sit here and say, Why couldn't I win those? It's almost selfish. There are a lot of people saying, Why can't I have a career like James'? Why was I able to stay healthy? Why was I able to come back from injury and illness? Why was I able to play on the biggest court in the world? Why was I able to win Davis Cup? If I'm going to ask why I haven't had more success, I've got to ask why I've had so much success. So I just come and do the best I can with what I was given.
Q. You've always been a fearless thinker. Your play was extraordinary out there on the stadium. You were back to your peak form. Do you really believe you can win this tournament? Are you thinking that big?
JAMES BLAKE: Uhm, you know, I generally don't go into a Grand Slam thinking about, you know, the end result. I think about each match because three out of five sets, there can be so many ups and downs in one match that you got to try to worry about those. If I start worrying -- even when I was at 4 in the world, 5 in the world, 6 in the world, if I started thinking ahead to the second or third round, I'd be in big trouble in that first match. I just don't -- I don't know, I can't speak to how Roger and Rafa and Novak and those guys go about it. But when I was up pretty high in the world, I couldn't do that. I didn't have that ability 'cause I have to focus on each match; otherwise I was in big trouble. I don't know if they have a cruise control they can hit, get through a few rounds. I've never had that. Right now I'm worried about the next match, and after that I'll see. If I get into the second week, fourth round, quarters, then it starts dawning on you that it's possible. It gets real close. It's just a matter of winning a few matches. There's no reason it can't be you. Right now I need to get through my next round, and then maybe after that we'll start talking about the final Sunday.
Q. If it is Djokovic, how would you describe that matchup?
JAMES BLAKE: I mean, I'm sure if people on the outside are looking at it, you've got to think that he's the favorite. What is he, 3 in the world right now? Played some great tennis. Plays very well on hard courts. I think he's been a finalist here before. Got through a pretty tough first round which can be beneficial to some guys to get tested early. But the only time we played was a pretty close match in the Olympics. A really difficult situation because we're so used to playing a tournament and you win, you move on; you lose, you go home. That's one where you lose and you play the next day. I think both of us were a little shaken up about it because it means so much to you, but you're not used to losing and then coming back and playing. That was a difficult situation. But he played well. We had a pretty tight match. I would expect it to be a pretty good match. He's one of the, I'd say, more underrated serves in the game. He's got a great service motion, a great serve, one of the best backhands in the game. His movement is unbelievable. I'm going to have to play well, that's for sure. If I go out there and I start dictating, I feel like I have a good shot. But there's also a good shot that he comes out and plays great tennis and proves why he's No. 3 in the world right now. But it will be on Ashe Stadium. I think I'll have pretty good crowd support. Hopefully I can come up with some of my best as I've been known to do at the Open before.
Q. Looked like your confidence was growing during the match. In the tiebreaker, you really sprayed some shots pretty awfully. Was that an issue of confidence?
JAMES BLAKE: No. I don't know what that was (smiling). When I play pretty aggressive tennis, there's going to be patches where you just miss a few in a row. Unfortunately that happened at an important time. I missed I think three or four forehands in a row. Like you said, they weren't pretty. That's when I sat down on the changeover after that, thought about the set, kind of going through it in my mind. You know what? I did everything right. It wasn't like I was going for crazy shots or anything. I wasn't trying anything low percentage. I just went for my shots and missed. I thought, Okay, you know what? It was great for me because I didn't panic. It's three out of five. I have time. I did everything right, everything I needed to do in that set. I just didn't execute. So if you keep concentrating, keep the positive attitude, keep playing that way, the shots are going to go in. I had enough confidence in myself they were going to start going in. They did. He maybe blinked a little early in the second set, made a couple of mistakes. That gave me enough confidence to keep going. Like you said, my confidence was growing and growing because I was doing the right things, and it was a matter of executing and they started going in.
Q. You have the Mets cap on. Should Manuel go?
JAMES BLAKE: Man, I don't know. I don't want to start a feud with them.
Q. Talk as a fan.
JAMES BLAKE: As a fan, I'd love to see some change because the last couple years have been rough. I like the guys. Reyes, Wright, Beltran, Santana has had a great year, just such hard luck. He has no run support. I think it might be time for a change. Hopefully they can have a better year next year.
Q. Who do you see as manager?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I'm a tennis player, not a baseball player. I don't know who is the best candidate. But maybe it's time for a change. We'll see.
Q. You got pretty heated with the chair umpire. What was that exchange about?
JAMES BLAKE: I mean, I wouldn't say 'heated.' I don't think there were any cusses dropped or anything that confrontational. I just said that I take issue when there's an overrule and then the Hawk Eye proves the overrule wrong. A general rule, what they say for an overrule, it has to be a clear mistake. If they're gonna say that was a clear mistake, you have to be pretty darn sure you're right. He said, Yeah, that was a clear mistake. I challenged it. The ball is out. So he was wrong. I think a game or two later he overruled another one that he was actually correct, but it was so close that I said, You can't really be sure. You don't want to overrule unless it is clear, unless it's flush on the line, inside the line. He said he's got to overrule the way he sees it. He's human, so he makes mistakes. That's where we left it pretty much.
Q. As the age of the top men and women skews older, do you think more kids will choose to go the college route like you and Robert Kendrick did, or will there always be people turning pro early?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I think it's gonna -- I think it's still sort of a little bit of chaos theory. I think there's going to be times where there's a lot of guys coming out of college and times when it goes straight to the pros, mainly because this sport is so individual. What works for me would never work for Andy Roddick. What worked for Sampras wouldn't work for Agassi, wouldn't work for Courier. So to find the best position for everyone, you got to be an individual. I think it's sad sometimes when a lot of coaches are going to say, Okay, you're going to be the next Agassi. We're going to fit you into this mold. Agassi didn't say that. He created his own style. He played the way he needed to play to play his best. You look at Andy Roddick's service motion, I don't think anyone said this is going to be like someone else's. That's his own, what works best for him. What works best for me, I've figured out I'm not in the mold of Sampras, Agassi, Chang. I play my game. I wasn't ready physically or mentally at 17 years old to turn pro. Andy Roddick was. So I think it's a very individual thing, very individual decision. Sam Querrey was one where he was maybe on the fence. Then he went and won a couple challengers, proved he was pro material right from the start and he didn't go to college. It's been a great decision. Same with Robby Ginepri and Mardy Fish. Then there's some guys that should go to college. Bradley Klahn is in college and is going back, though he probably has the ability to play out here at a certain level, pretty high challenger level, maybe tour level, but he thinks he needs another year of college or maybe even two. It's just so individual that I think you got to let people make their own decisions and you can't say one way is right or wrong. I probably wouldn't have been as good of a player if I turned pro right away because it would have killed my confidence. If I came out here at 17 and got beat up time after time after time in futures, challengers, by the time I was 20 years old, I would be burned out of losing. Instead I went for two years and won 90 matches in college and had a lot of fun, had a great time with my teammates, learned how to be a freshman and carry the bags, you know, do all that kind of stuff. It helped me. It helped me to, in my opinion, be a normal person. I think that is part of the reason I got so many friends out there and I end up paying so much for tickets when I'm here is that I got college friends, high school buddies that don't know much about tennis that I can talk to about our economics classes instead of worrying if my forehand's okay. I feel lucky that I did that. Obviously things worked out well for Andy and Mardy and Sam, as well. Me and Isner and Kendrick are the two or three out here that have tried college and went that route and it worked out well for us, too.
Q. Your confidence level sounds much greater than it's been anytime this summer. Is that because you're at the Open? Is it because you felt like the tennis was coming anyway, you just needed a couple wins and then things would start to click?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I felt like the tennis has been coming. That's why it's been frustrating with the inconsistency, where it goes one good match, one bad match, one good match. That gets pretty frustrating. Like I said before, I'm kind of a perfectionist. I expect a lot out of myself. When I do come to the Open, there is definitely something different, some memories for me, some good feelings. You know, tonight having the crowd there, it made a big difference, getting that double fault at 4 All in the fourth set. I mean, I know Peter is a young guy and definitely felt the pressure there were seven or eight thousand people cheering for me right then. That makes a big difference. Just the energy level from the crowd gets my feet moving a little better. When I'm moving my feet, I'm playing some of my best tennis, if I'm playing that aggressive with my feet. I think that's helping my confidence. Once you start getting a couple wins, you really start believing anything's possible.
“I really hope that wasn't my last match on Arthur Ashe Stadium. I definitely want to be back here next year. If it was, I competed my heart out. I did everything I could. But I think I got more in me and I think I'm going to be back there. Maybe more night matches, some more excitement for the crowds, some more good times. I definitely believe that. I hope it comes true next year."
:banan:
US Open 2010 - wywiad po pora¿ce w 3 rundzie
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. You had the two breakpoints first game, and then the tiebreak you had that forehand lined up. Did you feel like you found your rhythm or game at any point tonight, or was he just too tough?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, I don't think -- it was tough for even Novak to say he found his game in that wind. It was tough, tough conditions. He did a great job of handling them. He's one of the best defenders in the game which makes it tough on a night like that where I need to rely on my power and speed to sort of dictate and move forward.
It's tough when you need to get in position to hit those shots and to get into position, and the ball can move one way or the other. You are not going to hit it as cleanly. If I don't hit it perfect, he's too good of a counter-puncher. He hurt me too many times when I was in position and in my head to win the point. He did a great job of turning it around.
Obviously a couple points could have changed a few things. I mean, it would be a little optimistic to say it would have completely turned around the match and I would have won, but might have given me a chance if I win that point at 4-All in the breaker, that break point that gets called out and really is in, and he missed, that goes the other way, they don't call it, I'm back in and on serve in the third. I felt like I was serving well enough and doing a pretty good job of holding after that first set.
A lot of things could have changed, but they didn't. He played well on a night where there were tough conditions.
Q. Where do you go from here?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I'm going to take a little break. I need the body to completely heal up. I felt better than I have in a while the last couple matches. I know I still need to feel really 100% and ready to go after this to move forward to feel like I'm really playing well again. So I'm going to take a little break. Probably start in Stockholm. I think that's in about six weeks.
JAMES BLAKE: I really hope that wasn't my last match on Arthur Ashe Stadium. I definitely want to be back here next year. If it was, you know, I competed my heart out. I did everything I could. But I think I got more in me and I think I'm going to be back there. Maybe more night matches, some more excitement for the crowds, some more good times.
You know, I definitely believe that. I hope it comes true next year.
Q. When you were close in the second set there, can you feel how you can turn that crowd in your favor?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I had that big point down 4-2, was it, to get back to 4-3 where he hit a dropper. I got up to it. That's a tough shot, especially in the wind, to just direct the ball.
Most of our shots are hit with a lot of spin which helps with the wind. But when you're up there, it's below the net, all you can do is really push it. With the wind, that can knuckle and go any way.
To control that, to get up to it first and control it, I was pretty happy with myself, as I'm sure most of the crowd noticed. The crowd got up on their feet. Had another big serve the next time, just hit the tape with my forehand.
If that had gone in, the crowd was definitely on my side, was going to help keep pulling me. Put pressure on him serving at 4-5. For sure, they would have helped me.
That's an advantage I have playing here. Didn't execute well enough to get them on their feet enough tonight.
Q. When you say you feel you have more in you, is that because you feel like you're not physically at your best so you don't know right now whether your best isn't good enough?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I mean, I think even with the fact I haven't had the same preparation I would like to normally coming into the US Open, I got to the third round. I lost in straight sets, but I put a little scare in the No. 3 player in the world. And I beat two pretty good players.
So even if I'm not at 100% right now, I don't feel like I'm, you know, hurting the game by being out here. I'm not on a pity tour just getting beat up first round every week by kind of nobodies. I lost to a pretty darn good player. I'm playing okay and I know I can play better because, yeah, the preparation can be better.
I'm going to have more time on the track, more time on the court, more time in the gym. I'm going to be able to do it if everything is healed up. Once that happens, I definitely think I have more in me. There's a chance I can go six weeks, come back, blow out my shoulder, and maybe this was my last match an Ashe.
Once I got hurt in '04 and got sick, I never planned on this career as a marathon. I tried to treat it as a sprint, every match being its own sort of entity, working hard to win that. If it's my last, it's my last. If that came at 25 when I blew out my knee, if that came at 30 when I do something to my back, so be it. I'm going to treat every match as a sprint and just do my best every time. When it ends, it ends.
I don't feel like right now I'm out there looking for charity. I think I can play with just about anyone still, and I don't think I'm at my best physically right now.
Q. That wind tonight at its worst, you play in conditions like that before?
JAMES BLAKE: Played once in Miami, it was similar to that. It's rough. It's not fun for anyone. It makes just about every shot tough. Probably doesn't look as clean to the fans either 'cause they don't appreciate how difficult it is to play in the wind, I don't think.
It's usually a little more of an equalizer, so you'll see a lot of upsets. I don't think you saw that today. But it's tough. The guys at the top of the game did a great job of playing solid and knowing how to compete in that wind.
Q. What do you have to do physically to get yourself back so that you're not going on a charity tour?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, I mean, I don't think I'll ever come to that. I have too much pride and too many -- hopefully plenty of other options. I hope this isn't the only thing if my life, is tennis. I'm only 30.
I have a feeling I'll be retired by the time I'm, being optimistic, by the time I'm 35 or something, so I have a long life of other things to do. If I'm not competing, I'm not having fun, I'm not at a level where I think I should be, then I hope I've got enough options outside of tennis to call it a career, hang up the racquets and be proud of my career.
Q. Where was Thomas and the rest of your gang tonight?
JAMES BLAKE: They were all there. My brother, he's usually not one that people miss with that crazy hair, 6'6", dreads halfway down his back. He's usually pretty vocal. They were in the box.
I had a lot of fun people still coming out to watch. I'm happy, even though the last day and a half has been crazy dealing with tickets, my brother, and actually my buddy Evan did a great job of keeping everyone happy, I hope. I haven't checked my phone to see if anyone is mad at me because of where their seats were. I think Evan said this is around 100 seats we have to get for people. I don't know if I made money at this US Open with all the tickets I just paid for, but it's worth it, because there's nothing better to spend money on than your friends.
Q. How much of a guide has your mom been for you?
JAMES BLAKE: She's been great. I couldn't have asked for better tennis parents. They had different qualities that made a huge difference in my life. My dad preached work ethic. If I went out and hit balls for an hour, he wanted me to hit balls for an hour and a half. If I hit for three hours, he wanted me to hit for three and a half. He was always pushing me, and he practiced what he preached, which makes a big difference to see someone doing what they believe in and working as hard as possible.
My mom is more of the soft touch and the caring one. If I hit for 10 minutes and I was happy, she was happy. If I hit for six hours and I was happy, she was happy. She really just wants what's best for me.
It's interesting because I feel that when I lose, she's down with me. She's feeling my pain. And when I win, she's feeling my joy. I've never experienced anything like that. I haven't been a parent, but it's something that I sense all the time. It means a lot to me because she honestly does just want me to be happy. If I were to be done playing tennis tomorrow and go back to school and I'm in class, she's happy if I get an A. She's just happy for me, anything I'm doing.
It's so great to see someone that just wants the best for you. She's going to guide me the best she knows how. Obviously she was never a pro tennis player, so it's tough for her to know all the ins and outs of the game. She just wants me to be happy, if that's when I'm winning matches, when I'm with my friends, or on the golf course. It's hard to find genuine people like that. Obviously, I'm biased, but she really is the best tennis parent I could have.
Q. Do you have any ideas of what the options are after tennis? Is it going to be inside or outside the sport?
JAMES BLAKE: That, I don't know yet. I love this sport, so I think there's a possibility in the future of me doing something inside the sport. I kind of want to get away from it for a little while, I think, because tennis has been such a large part of my life for the last 20 years. Really, it would be fun to maybe go back to school or just relax and get away from it and see if anything else creates the same kind of passion I have for tennis.
I know how many retired athletes have told me that you'll never have anything that compares to the competitive nature you had when you were a pro athlete. I really, really hope and think that I'm not going to be one of those people that misses it so much, that, you know, is always depressed because they don't have it anymore, because I had it taken away from me for about a year and I thought I was done. That was a big quandary for me at the time, whether I was going to be happy without tennis.
I made a decision then that I would be, because I'm lucky enough to have a ton of friends that support me no matter how good I am at tennis.
I'd like to get out of tennis maybe. I really don't know for a little while. I know I've already told all my friends that some of them are going to come visit me and I'm going to be playing golf for six months once I'm done. I'm going to be home. I travel 30 weeks out of year. I'm going to be in my bed for at least six months straight where I'm not getting on a plane, I'm not getting on a train, I'm not getting on a bus, I'm not doing anything. I'm staying at home, playing some golf and relaxing. Then I'll see what motivates me. I know from being somewhat sedentary when I was sick, it doesn't suit me well. After a little while, I want to get up and do something. After a little bit of time off, I'm going to figure out what's going to motivate me and get me there. As I said before, I'm treating tennis as a sprint. I'll still in the moment of this being my No. 1 priority. I don't know for sure. But, like I said, I'm hoping there's going to be plenty of options.
Q. How is your golf game?
JAMES BLAKE: It's not that great, but it's getting better. It's something you can do pretty poorly and still have a great time. So I'm having a lot of fun playing it.
James Blake's mom to share secrets to raising a star
Find out how James Blake rose to become one of the top 30 professional tennis players in the world when his mother, Betty Blake, visits the Fairfield Public Library on Oct. 24.
Attendees will be surprised to hear that Betty Blake, author of Mix It Up, Make It Nice: Secrets of a Tennis Mom, will focus more on education and family values than on athletic training and tennis skills.
James Blake, a Fairfield native, wore a back brace for 18 hours each day to correct severe scoliosis, never attended a tennis academy, received early tennis training on public tennis courts, grew up in New England's six-month outdoor tennis season, and yet rose to the top 30 in the tennis world. His mother's book, which chronicles this journey, isn't a story just about James Blake's climb to prominence in the tennis world and a series of life-altering tragedies that he experienced; it is about a family who made education the top priority, not tennis. A first-class education was by design, a tennis career was not. Betty Blake's reflections address race relations in our society, individual identity and how her son's ethnicity helped them be at ease in any situation. This tennis mom shares secrets to raising a star and pays tribute to the father who inspired them.
The event will take place in the Memorial Room of the main library, 1080 Old Post Road, at 1:30 p.m. Register for this program by going online to www.fairfieldpubliclibrary.org or by calling 203-256-3160. All programs at the Fairfield Public Library are free of charge.
Blake to hold fundraiser in New York
James Blake will hold his annual Reception to benefit the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Cancer Research Fund at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center on November 30th, at the Lincoln Center in New York City. Guests will include Andy Roddick and his wife Brooklyn Decker, Anna Wintour, Billie Jean King, John McEnroe, Michael Jordan, Patrick McEnroe, Pete Sampras and Sugar Ray Leonard, as well as a surprise musical guest performance.
2010 w liczbach
Ranking: 135
Bilans gier: 15-17
Tytu³y: 0
Fina³y: 0
Zarobki: $265,885
Blake rozpocznie sezon w San Jose, w lutym.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Bla … 442?v=wall
Tylko tam dostaje dzikie karty. Obawiam siê, ¿e jak ta uprzejmo¶æ siê skoñczy to JB szybko od³o¿y rakietê. Chyba honor mu nie pozwala przyjechaæ na kwale do AO. :P
Przedsezonowy wywiad z JB:
http://www.jamesblaketennis.com/2010_Si … rview.html
http://www.insidetennis.com/2011/02/book-james/
Ciekawy wywiad z 007. Polecam.
James wygra³ challengera w Sarasocie. Jest to pierwszy tytu³ 007 w tym roku i pierwszy od NH 2007, nie licz±c Pucharu Davisa. :o
Ten challengerowy triumf pozwoli³ JB przesun±æ siê o 40 miejsc w rankingu i mocno zbli¿yæ siê do Top-100.
Z ca³± sympati± dla Jamesa, ale czy jest sens rozmieniaæ swoj± karierê na drobne tu³aj±c siê po challengerach? Czasu siê nie oszuka...