mtenis.pun.pl - forum fanów tenisa ATP
Ojciec Chrzestny
Ostatni turniej wygra³ w New Haven w 2007 roku. Od tamtego czasu kolekcjonuje koncertowe wtopy w fina³ach, jak nie wcze¶niej
Dobrze, ¿e chocia¿ do 10 dobi³ w ilo¶ci wygranych imprez
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Ojciec Chrzestny
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?
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Tak, przed chwil± mi je dale¶.
http://www.tennisnews.com/exclusive.php?pID=29560
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Ojciec Chrzestny
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?
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Widaæ te¿ mu zale¿y na bilansie z Nadalem.
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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
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Ojciec Chrzestny
Art napisał:
Ale milo by bylo gdyby w Pekinie zadzialal tzw. efekt nowej miotly i James wykosil Jakiegos Faworyta
Trzymam kciuki !
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DUN I LOVE napisał:
Art napisał:
Ale milo by bylo gdyby w Pekinie zadzialal tzw. efekt nowej miotly i James wykosil Jakiegos Faworyta
Trzymam kciuki !
Co??!! Czy¿by¶ ¿yczy³ przegranej swojemy Ulubionemu Tenisi¶cie Wielkiemu Mistrzowi Mozartowi Tenisa Rafaelowi Parerze Nadalowi z Manacor??!!
Ostatnio edytowany przez Robertinho (05-10-2009 18:10:01)
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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
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Masta
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.
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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
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±?!
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Ojciec Chrzestny
Wy nic nie rozumiecie!
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James to jeden z moich ulubieñców szkoda ¿e nie odnosi sukcesów
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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Come on Andy !
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
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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."
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