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 was trying to sound like some of the people I was listening to, like Mala and Coki.
Miami is great. I'm trying to do my best to avoid distractions and get ready for tomorrow.
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.
Everyone seems to have a connection to me, and that?s such a great feeling. That?s what comes with growing up close to here and going to high school around here and trying to be as friendly as you can to those people around you. It makes for great fans ... even if they do happen to cheer a few times when he double faults. You just kind of grin and bear it.
I've been really trying to hone the art of songwriting in a way that doesn't follow any sort of guideline.
After the break, I made a little bit of an adjustment, ... I moved back just a couple of steps, trying to see if I could get looks. If he hits the corner, it doesn't matter where I am standing, it is going to be an ace. I just had to accept that he was going to get his aces...Once I got that first break (in the third set), having the sense it was almost over was great. Having that crowd to front run is great.
We're doing this for a living, trying to win. That's my goal. It's not to embarrass anyone; it's to go out and win.
I felt I wasn't moving my feet too well, ... Once I was in it, I started moving my feet a little better, going after it a little more, just trying to take it into my hand. At the start, I felt like I was pushing and leaving it in his hands, and he took advantage.
He was trying hard to get out of it, but we put so much pressure on him last week that he had to do it.
All I think about is the fact that I need to do everything I can to win each game, because it's not, you know, a social game. It's not a country-club game where we're going to go have tea and cookies afterwards. We're doing this for a living, trying to win. That's my goal. It's not to embarrass anyone, it's to go out and win.
Whether I win or lose, it's nice to be able to give it my best.
What I actually thought of then, ... was the tape that's replayed about five million times every time there's a rain delay here at the Open, when Jimmy Connors says, 'This is what they came for; this is what we'll give them.'
Unfortunately my down was pretty far down, but it makes you appreciate the ups a lot more,
Wow ... that would be something. I?d think we?d need to hold a big party at Fairfield High. It would be huge.