James Blake (USA)
Birthdate: 28-Dec-79
Birthplace: Yonkers, New York, USA
Residence: Tampa, Florida, USA
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 183 lbs
Plays: Right-handed
Coach: Brian Barker
2007 IN REVIEW
The American compiled another consistent season with two ATP titles in five finals...Also helped U.S. to Davis Cup title (d. Russia 4-1) by posting a 5-2 singles mark during year...In January, repeated title in Sydney (d. Moya)...Followed with a 4th RD at Australian Open (l. to Gonzalez)...Then reached final in Delray Beach (l. to Malisse in three rain-delayed sets)... After a 3rd RD loss at AMS Indian Wells (l. to Benneteau) and 2nd RD exit at AMS Miami (l. to Serra) began April by winning both singles rubbers (d. Robredo, Lopez) in 4-1 U.S. victory over Spain in Davis Cup QF...Then advanced to SF in Houston (d. Monaco, l. to Zabaleta)...In May, advanced to 3rd RD at AMS Hamburg (l. to Moya), his best result on European clay during season...Fell to big-serving Croat Karlovic in 1st RD at Roland Garros...On grass in Halle, defeated countryman Querrey in three sets and Korolev before falling in QF to Kohlschreiber...Reached 3rd RD at Wimbledon (l. to Ferrero) for second straight year...Put together his best summer hard court results (17-3) of his career by reaching final in Los Angeles (l. to Stepanek), QF in Indianapolis (l. to Querrey), 2nd RD at AMS Montreal (withdrew vs. Hewitt to strained stomach muscle), advanced to final at AMS Cincinnati (d. Davydenko, l. to Federer) and won title in New Haven for second time in three years (d. Fish)...En route, saved three match points in 3rd RD win over Calleri...At US Open, reached 4th RD (l. to Haas in fifth set tie-break) after posting his first career five-set victory over Santoro in 2nd RD (1-10 all-time)...In Davis Cup SF vs. Sweden, lost to T. Johansson in four sets in second rubber and beat Aspelin in dead rubber to give U.S. another 4-1 victory...Fired a career-high 508 aces (7.2 average) to finish No. 9 in Ricoh ATP MatchFacts...Went 2-4 vs. Top 10 opponents and compiled records of 41-14 on hard (third-most wins), 6-7 on clay and 4-2 on grass...In doubles, reached final in Basel (w/Knowles), losing to Bryans.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2000 – Captured first career Challenger titles in Houston (d. Kratochvil) and Rancho Mirage (d. Mamiit)… 2001 – Reached final at Waikoloa Challenger (l. to Roddick)… Advanced to first ATP SF in Newport and Tokyo (l. to Hewitt)… Made Davis Cup debut in World Group playoff tie vs. India and won both singles matches…Finished season with title in Knoxville (d. Trifu)… 2002 – Went 5-1 in Davis Cup play (3-0 in doubles)… Captured title at Waikoloa Challenger (d. Verkerk) and reached first ATP final in Memphis (l. to Roddick) and later in Newport (l. to Dent)…Breakthrough week came in Washington where he posted wins over Corretja (QF), Agassi (SF) and Srichaphan (F) to become fourth African-American to win an ATP title in Open Era… In doubles, captured first ATP title in Cincinnati (w/T. Martin)… 2003 – Began season with 4th RD at Australian Open (l. to Schuettler)… Reached final in Long Island (l. to Srichaphan)…In doubles, won second career title in Scottsdale (w/Merklein)…2004 – Finished in Top 100 for fourth straight season despite a year plagued by injury and illness…Suffered fractured vertebrae in his neck in practice session in May and missed two months… Fell ill during summer with Zoster, a condition affecting hearing and visionary senses and causing temporary paralysis on one side of his face… Played just three tournaments from July-on… Reached 4th RD at Australian Open for second straight year (l. to Safin)…In March, reached QF in Scottsdale (l. to eventual champ Spadea) and followed with QF in AMS Indian Wells (l. to Labadze)… On clay, advanced to QF in Houston…At AMS Roma, lost in 1st RD to Novak then slipped during practice session on May 6 with Ginepri and hit net post, suffering neck injury that kept him out of action until July…Came back in Newport and reached 2nd RD… After 1st RD loss in Washington on Aug. 18, missed US Open through illness and returned to action in Delray Beach on Sept. 14, reaching 2nd RD…Did not play rest of season… In doubles, won titles in San Jose and Houston (w/Fish) and Munich (w/Merklein)…2005ûThe American captured two ATP titles and first year-end finish in Top 25... Also turned in his best career Grand Slam result with QF at US Open... Ranked as low as No. 210 on Apr. 18 and compiled a 13-15 match record through July before putting together an impressive stretch since August with a 21-6 mark ... Began his consistent play with a runner-up effort in Washington (l. to Roddick), then three weeks later captured title in New Haven (d. Lopez)... Took momentum into US Open where he defeated No. 2 Nadal in 3rd RD, No. 20 Robredo in 4th RD before losing to eventual finalist Agassi in a fifth set tie-break (after holding a two set lead)... Played on U.S. Davis Cup squad in World Group playoff tie in Belgium and defeated Darcis in dead rubber... In October, earned his first European ATP title in Stockholm (d. Srichaphan)... Earlier in season won back-to-back Challenger titles in May in Tunica, Mississippi (d. Baker) and Forest Hills, N.Y. (d. Vemic)...2006--Compiled a career-best season with five ATP titles on four continents in eight finals...His titles won trailed only Federer (12) and was tied for second with Davydenko and Nadal on ATP circuit...Finished in Top 5 and as No. 1 American for first time, highlighted by reaching season-ending Tennis Masters Cup final in Shanghai (l. to Federer)...Also helped his country to Davis Cup SF before losing to Russia in Moscow...In January, won title in Sydney with wins over Russians Davydenko in SF and Andreev in final in a third set tie-break...Followed with a 3rd RD at Australian Open (l. to Robredo)...Helped U.S. to a 4-1 first round Davis Cup victory over Romania by winning both of his singles matches...After back-to-back 1st RD indoor losses in San Jose and Memphis, rebounded back with his fifth career ATP title in Las Vegas in March, defeating No. 10 Hewitt in a three-set final...It was his first career Top 10 win in an ATP final...Broke into Top 10 on Mar. 20 after reaching his first ATP Masters Series final in Indian Wells (l. to Federer)...Became first African-American to rank in Top 10 since Arthur Ashe on Jan. 21, 1980...Went on to match Ashe’s career-best year-end finish of No. 4 (in 1975)...Then followed with a QF in Miami (l. to Federer)...Began April by losing both singles rubbers in U.S. 3-2 victory over Chile in Davis Cup QF, including 10-8 in fifth set loss to Gonzalez...In May, advanced to 3rd RD at AMS Hamburg (d. Moya, Murray, l. to Ancic)...Fell to another Croat, No. 4 Ljubicic, in third-set tie-break the following week in Dnsseldorf...Turned in best showing at Roland Garros with 3rd RD showing (l. to Monfils in five sets)...At Queen’s, defeated Gimelstob, Ginepri, Monfils and Roddick before falling to in final to Hewitt... Reached 3rd RD at Wimbledon (l. to Mirnyi) and fell to 0-9 in career in five sets...Claimed third title of season by defeating Roddick in Indianapolis in a third set tie-break...Struggled with a 3-4 record over next four US Open Series appearances, including opening round exit as defending champion in New Haven (l. to Ramirez Hidalgo)...Played well at US Open with repeat QF result (l. to Federer in four sets), went 1-1 in Davis Cup SF and then won first Asian title in Bangkok (d. Ljubicic)...Followed with repeat title in Stockholm (d. Nieminen), giving him an 11-match winning streak, a career-best...From August 2005 to November 2006, captured seven ATP titles and reached three finals...Prior to that had a career winning mark of .534 with one title and four runner-up showings...Went 8-6 vs. Top 10 opponents, defeating No. 2 Nadal (twice), No. 3 Ljubicic, No. 5 Roddick, No. 6 Davydenko (twice), No. 7 Nalbandian and No. 10 Hewitt (lost to Federer four times)...Compiled records of 47-14 on hard, 6-4 on grass and 5-6 on clay...Surpassed $1 million in a season for first time with career-best $1,894,295.
PERSONAL
Full name is James Riley Blake...Began playing tennis at age five with older brother, Thomas (born Dec. 29, 1976), a former All-American at Harvard University, and his father, Thomas, who passed away in July 2004 and mother, Betty, who was raised in England...Also has three half-brothers and one-half sister...At age 13, was diagnosed with severe scoliosis (curvature of spine), which forced him to wear a back brace 18 hours a day... Attended Fairfield (Conn.) High School along with Grammy Award winner John Mayer and PGA Tour pro J.J. Henry...The school renamed its tennis courts in Blake's honor in 2006...Moved in 1999 to Tampa, Fla. where he trains at Saddlebrook Academy...Lists Arthur Ashe as his role model...Was inspired to pursue tennis after Ashe spoke to the Harlem Junior Tennis Program when he was a student in the program from ages 5-10...Played two seasons at Harvard from 1998-99 before turning pro in June ‘99...Finished as No. 1 collegiate player in country after his sophomore season despite losing in ‘99 NCAA singles final to Jeff Morrison of Florida...Has a 15-9 career Davis Cup record (12-8 in singles) in 12 ties since 2001...In 2005, appeared on Late Show with David Letterman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes and Nightline while also being profiled in People, Esquire and Oprah magazines...Signed with IMG Models in 2002...Had 10-page pictorial in GQ in 2003...Named 2005 ATP Comeback Player of Year...Nominated for ESPN’s 2005 “ESPY” Award for Comeback Player of the Year...In People Magazine’s 2006-2007 “Sexiest Man Alive” issue...Voted to ATP Player Council in June 2006 and serves as Vice President...In July 2007, released book co-authored by Andrew Friedman "Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life" and reached 15th on New York Times Best Seller list...In support of the book, appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Late Show with David Letterman" as well as several US morning shows...Holds an annual charity event, AnthemLIVE!, which since 2003 has raised more than $2.2 million for cancer research and past participants have included John Mayer and Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band...Coached by long-time mentor Brian Barker (since age 12) and works on fitness training with former doubles partner Mark Merklein (11-5 career record together with two titles).
