James Blake
James Blake
James Riley Blakeis an American retired professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. During his career, Blake had amassed 24 singles finals appearances, while his career-high singles ranking was World No. 4. His career highlights included reaching the final of the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup, the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics and the quarterfinals of the Australian Openand US Open, as well as being the former American No. 1. His two titles for the...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionTennis Player
Date of Birth28 December 1979
CountryUnited States of America
I heard the Blake chant and I decided mentally I'd start the match over. I would try to dictate more points because playing defense clearly wasn't working.
Hopefully the maintenance crew won't have as much to do on the court after the first match here. Andy actually came up with that joke, so I blame him. This is the first time my name has been picked. I'm usually second. But playing first, it should be fun.
Last year, watching this on TV, this is kind of what I was dreaming of, playing a night match at the Open again,
He's one of the hottest players on the circuit right now, ... And I'm playing close to my best, so it should be a good match.
I've come over a few times and not had much success, which is frustrating. I like playing indoors. I feel really good here even though it's not the same kind of crowds as I have on my side in the United States.
I feel that I'm playing just about as well as when I was 20-something in the world. I think I'm a more mature player, a more in-control player. I think I'm playing as well right now as I was when I was 20-something in the world. I'm happy I'm back, happy that I'm playing well again.
It was one of those days when he is playing well and he is getting the breaks. Things tend to feel like they are snowballing.
My serve was the biggest difference today, ... It's good to be playing so well at this time of the year.
There's no way I would have believed that I'd be playing a legend like Andre Agassi in the quarter-finals on Wednesday at the Open.
I look forward to playing a guy like (Haas). He is someone who really has been at the top of the game and whether or not his ranking states it, he is one of the top players in the world, ... Beating guys like the way I have the last two days makes me think I can hopefully do some good things the rest of the week here and the next two weeks at the U.S. Open.
Fernando is always dangerous no matter what, and he started playing like the Fernando I've come to know, the one who can hurt you in an instant. He wasn't pushing like he was in the first couple of sets. He was going after his shots and they were going in.
I like to think I keep getting better. I feel like now I'm playing as well as I did when I was 20-something in the world. It's been a while since I've really felt like I have played this well.
I figure most people, it's going to be their game plan to attack my backhand, ... I got a lot more confidence in it. When I have time to hit it, I feel like I can really go after it and hurt people with it, as opposed to playing defense all the time. I think I passed him with three backhands that first game and that's probably something he wasn't expecting.
If I'm playing tennis like this, I'm a guy that NOBODY wants to play. I think there are a lot of guys who don't want to see me in their draw.