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'm going to try to play within myself, ... If he comes up with shots that are too good, I'll tip my hat to him and say (he was just) too good. If I do need to adjust, if I'm getting beat, if I'm down a set and a break, he's really beating me that way. I might have to adjust and figure out some other way to play. But I'm not going to go out just trying to blast winners from every corner just because it's Andre Agassi. I'm going to try to play my game.
Those guys carried me through. I had a lot of tough three-set matches this week, and they were my legs in those third sets.
When you're down out here, it doesn't seem like you're down because I have so many fans rooting for me,
It does still seem like Andy's the leader of the pack and will continue to be, ... but we're all doing our best. I think we all hit a little slump at one point ... but we're all, I think, better and wiser for it now.
I think I found a balance partly in knowing that I found a little bit of a different perspective. It is not the end of the world if I lose a tennis match, but also the realization that my career won?t last forever. A moment like this is not guaranteed, and I want to work to make sure I have more moments like these. I want to appreciate them for what they are and realize that it can happen and it can be me out there.
I think I'm playing better every time I step on the court now,
I think I have found a balance partly due to a different perspective,
It couldn't have been more fun to lose.
I think Japanese audiences are much more attentive than a London audience.
I thought I played really well tonight. I was able to execute and keep it going. I think he (Brian) got down on himself in the second set and I'll take that anytime.
I thought in the past maybe I've had girlfriends that complained a lot, but he took that to a whole new level complaining when they get called.
Maybe I'm a slow learner. But he doesn't make it easy. I'm starting to feel like one of those basketball players in the early '90s. You feel like you make Michael Jordan play well, but then every time he comes up and beats you and makes you realize why he's the best.
Maybe I'm a slow learner. But he doesn't make it easy.
Man, it had to be fifth or sixth grade. I was probably 10 or 11 years old. He was probably in his early 20s by then, taking the world by storm already.