James At 31

The James Blake Interview: ‘You Don't Know What's Going to Happen Tomorrow’

In the lead-up to James Blake’s Nov. 28 Serving For A Cure fundraiser at NYC’s Lincoln Center, which benefits the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund, established to support cancer research, the former world No. 4 chatted with Inside Tennis about the power of giving back, his through-thick-and-thin journey in tennis, and playing smart at [...]

Blake Time

A Q&A With James Blake: 'Critics Deserve Criticism, Too'

Working his way back into rankings relevance, 31-year-old James Blake insists the fire still burns. Following his second-round exit at the U.S. Open, the former No. 4 spoke with a small group of reporters about unfinished business.

Blake: Roddick Justified In Analyzing Analysts

Harvardian Says Commentators Should Accentuate the Positive

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — Andy Roddick has made it clear that he’s less than pleased with some of the recent commentary coming from the broadcast booth.  After his primetime first-round win over Michael Russell, Roddick aired his frustrations during a post-match chat with ESPN’s Chris Fowler, telling him, “I’m pretty convinced that I could be [...]

Del Potro Shows Blake Exit at Farmers Classic

Powerballing Argentine Insists He’s Still ‘Far Away From the Top 10’

LOS ANGELES — Together they slugged.  Juan Martin Del Potro and James Blake, each hoping to write a comeback story of sorts a month from now in Flushing Meadows, wowed a packed house on the other side of the country with some heavy hitting Wednesday night in L.A. And in the end it was Del [...]

Notes: Crotch Grabbers and Noisy Neighbors

An Inside Tennis Notebook

WHERE’S GONZO WHEN YOU NEED HIM?: There’s a bit of an imbalance of power when it comes to the U.S. vs. Chile Davis Cup clash in Santiago.  The average singles ranking for the U.S. team (Andy Roddick, John Isner) is 20.  Chile’s (Paul Capdeville, Nicolas Massu) is 203. FLIGHT SCHOOL: Host Austria built a temporary [...]

Raonic Maintains Momentum in Ousting Blake

'Maple Leaf Missile,' 'Big Leaf,' 'Bombardier Milos' — By Any Name Canadian Can Play

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — During his second-round win over James Blake at the SAP Open — a 6-2, 7-6(4), one-hour, 10-minute decision that sent him into the second ATP quarterfinal of his young career — Montenegrin-turned-Canadian Milos Raonic had the temerity to unleash a 123 mph second-serve ace.

Solo Act: Blake No Longer Working With Jones

No. 170-Ranked American Now Traveling Without a Coach

SAN JOSE, CALIF. — Long a Brian Barker loyalist, and having most recently sought guidance from former ATP pro Kelly Jones, James Blake is turning a page and says he’s ready to go it alone. With his coach by his side, the 31-year-old American has overcome hardship several times over his 12-year pro career. But [...]

The Book of James

Battling Injuries and Father Time, James Blake Says He Has No Regrets. But Can He Fight His Way Back to the Top of the Sport?

INSIDE TENNIS: It’s been a rough couple of years for you, James. JAMES BLAKE: It’s been pretty frustrating.  It’s one thing after another.  First it was my knee that was bothering me, then it was my shoulder.  I had a cortisone shot in the off-season.  I thought it was getting a lot better, but when [...]

Blake ‘Not On a Pity Tour’

American Falls In Straight Sets In What Could Be Final Ashe Appearance

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. — When James Blake walked off the court on Saturday night, one had to wonder if we were seeing the crowd favorite in Ashe Stadium for the last time.

Jelly Legs, Spaghetti Arms and Alphabet Soup

ALPHABET SOUP: Former WTA chief Larry Scott, who now runs the Pac-10 (or is that Pac-12?), said his only regret in tennis was not “bringing the two tours together and minimizing some of the alphabet soup.” NO TEAM MURRAY-CAHILL: ESPN analyst Darren Cahill has ruled himself out of the running for the job of Andy [...]