Name:  James Riley Blake Born:  December 28, 1979 Birthplace:  Yonkers, New York Hometown:  Fairfield, Connecticut Started Playing Tennis:  5 years old Turned Pro:  1996 Training Residence:  Tampa, Florida Height:  6’1” Weight:  170 lbs Plays:  Right-handed Backhand:  One Trademark:  Aggressive Play, Speed and Forehand IN HIS WORDS: The most important traits of a tennis player, in order of significance: talent, health, conditioning and confidence.

 

Everyone loves James Blake. Tennis fans cheer for him. Men want to play poker and drink beer with him. Women desire to date him. How does one man capture the interest of so many people? Blake was dealt identity-defining adversity most of his life. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, or in Blake's case, grounded and more likeable. What you
see is what you get. Blake is believable.

 

Blake's delicate balance of hardship began in his youth. Growing up, he was teased for having interracial parents. When he was 13 and barely five-feet tall, he was diagnosed with severe scoliosis and wore a full length back brace for 18 hours a day, only taking it off to play tennis. As the No.1 college tennis player in the country, Blake dropped out of Harvard University during his sophomore year to turn pro. Five years later in 2004, he broke his neck during practice when he fell and slid into a net-post. During recovery, his father was diagnosed with stomach cancer and died shortly thereafter. Following his father's death, Blake developed stress-induced shingles that temporarily paralyzed half of his face and blurred his sight. Many times Blake wondered if he'd ever have a "normal" life, let alone play tennis again.

 

Today, in memory of his father and with the support of family, friends and his coach, Blake hurdles the obstacles and plays tennis better than ever. To help process his experiences, he recently wrote a top selling book, Breaking Back, that chronicles his life.

 

“Breaking Back was important for me to write because it was an opportunity to assess many of the ups and downs in my life and tennis career. I wanted people to be able to relate tome as a human being. It's so much easier to do when they see the human side of me instead of just the one that they see on TV competing on the tennis court.”

Blake writes that one of the most telling marks of a player's character on court is whether or not they can "break back." His father always told him, "You can't control your talent, but you can control your effort." Blake exerts effort with grunt-force. Knowing his source of inspiration gives a deeper relevance to his game - the game of tennis and the game of life.

 

YOU'VE SAID THAT IN THE PAST YOU WOULD DREAD TRYING TO LIVE UP TO YOUR FULL POTENTIAL. IS THAT STILL AN ISSUE FOR YOU? No, not anymore. I just know that I've done my best to this point and hope to continue on that path. If I do that, then I won't have any regrets when it comes to getting the most out of my talents.   DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT YOUR TRUE POTENTIAL IS? I have no idea. If I knew, it might take some of the fun out of trying to reach as high as I possibly can. It's fun trying to figure out how high I can reach and what my potential is.   WHEN I'VE HEARD YOU SAY YOU DON'T SET ANY GOALS, IT'S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO IMAGINE. HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO IMPROVE AND MEASURE GROWTH WITHOUT SPECIFIC GOALS IN MIND? I measure improvement by figuring out if I've done everything I can to improve. If I have, then I feel like I'm getting better.

“Michael Jordan was the most exciting person I've met. When I was a kid, he was my athlete role model...he always tried to prove something in every game. I wanted to be like him.”

 

HOW ARE YOU CONTINUING YOUR PURSUIT OF "GETTING BETTER" AS A PLAYER - AND AS A PERSON?
As a player, I continue to pursue it with hard work and also trying to work smart. That means figuring out the most important aspects to be worked on and focusing the practice time on those. As a person, I just try to be more responsible and aware of all my actions and how they can affect others. I try to make sure that I'm affecting people in a positive way.

 

SINCE YOU DON'T SET SPECIFIC GOALS, DO YOU HAVE A PLAN "A" AND "B?"
I plan to play until I no longer enjoy it or my body won't let me. I just want to be healthy and be surrounded by my friends as much as possible. Plan "B" isn't exactly clear right now.

 

SOMEHOW I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT SAY THAT. SO, YOUR LONGTIME COACH, AND ONLY COACH, BRIAN BARKER, HAS BEEN YOUR FRIEND, MENTOR AND INSTRUCTOR SINCE YOU WERE 11. IF YOU HAD ACCESS TO A COACH DURING MATCHES, HOW WOULD YOU BENEFIT FROM BRIAN'S INPUT?
I think Brian has one the greatest tennis minds on tour. If he were able to coachmen during tournaments then he would transfer those messages effectively.

 

DO YOU FAVOR COACHING DURING MATCH PLAY?
Yes. I also feel like many other players are bending the rules and being coached when it isn't allowed right now. If it were allowed, it would level the playing field.

 

YOU HAVE TO BE "MATCH-TOUGH" TO LOOK BEYOND DISTRACTIONS AND ELEMENTS OUT OF YOUR CONTROL, LIKE THE "BENDING OF THE RULES." WOULD YOU SAY YOU'RE MORE MATCH-TOUGH TODAY THAN IN YOUR RECENT PAST?
Yeah, I'm definitely more match-tough today and that just comes from life experience. I find I'm much better at relaxing on the court during important moments.

 

IS IT DIFFICULT FOR YOU TO MAINTAIN A STEADY LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE AS A TOURING PRO?
My confidence, like everyone's, still goes up and down. But, it's much easier to keep it from dipping too low or getting too high now that I've seen so many more years of tennis and life's ups and downs.

 

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU'VE CALL YOURSELF AN "ODDS-DEFIER?"
I've defied the odds just by being a professional athlete. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was 13 and had to wear a back brace every day through high school. The fact that I'm a pro athlete is laughable now. Those are long-shot odds.

 

NOT ONLY ARE YOU A PRO ATHLETE, BUT YOU'RE AN AMERICAN CROWD FAVORITE. THE STADIUM GETS VERY LOUD AND ROWDY WHEN YOU'RE ON COURT. YOU MUST FEEL THE ENERGY? Yeah, the crowd support at matches is very exciting. It helps me realize how much fun the fans are having.   ARE THERE ANY EVENTS WHERE THEIR SUPPORT HAS MADE A GREATER IMPACT ON YOUR PERFORMANCE? I think the Davis Cup is when it's most important. It can definitely affect the outcome in those matches and it seems like I have my own home court advantage at the U.S. Open.

 

YOU WERE INCREDIBLY ENTERTAINING AND APPEARED TO HAVE FOUND A NEW LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE AT BOTH OF THOSE PAST EVENTS. AT THE DAVIS CUP, YOU WENT FOR A LOT OF WINNERS - AND MADE A LOT OF THEM. THE CROWD LOVED THAT LEVEL OF EFFORT. AND THEN THE U.S. OPEN: THE GRUNTS, THE POWER, THE PRECISION, THE BACKHAND! I THOUGHT YOU WERE UNSTOPPABLE. YOU HAD A MONUMENTAL WIN IN THE SECOND ROUND AGAINST THE FRENCH "MAGICIAN" (FABRICE SANTORO) WITH YOUR FIRST FIVE SET MATCH VICTORY - EVER. THEN, YOU FACED THE UNFORTUNATE LOSS IN THE FOURTH ROUND AGAINST TOMMY HAAS IN A TOUGH FIVE SETTER. HOW DO YOU HANDLE A DEFEAT LIKE THAT?
Initially, I have a tough time dealing with it. I'm a competitor and want to win every time I step on the court. But after a bit of time goes by, I always try to put the loss into perspective, move on, and try to improve from there.

 

FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A RECREATIONAL TENNIS PLAYER, COMPETING AT YOUR INTENSITY LOOKS IMPOSSIBLE TO ATTAIN OR MAINTAIN. IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT?
At this level, the competition is completely exhausting. That's why I feel the schedule needs to be shortened. We have a very short off season and we travel all over the world for 11 months out of the year. That's a lot and it takes a toll on our bodies and psyche. I think that's the main reason for players retiring at such young ages in our sport.

 

IS THERE ONE EVENT THAT STANDS OUT AS YOUR GREATEST '07 TENNIS MOMENT?
Winning my singles match against Spain in the quarterfinals of Davis Cup.

 

ANY PARTICULAR REASON?
I hadn't won too many matches before that and it felt good to contribute to the win for the team.

 

ON THE FLIP SIDE, WHAT WAS YOUR MOST DIFFICULT TENNIS EXPERIENCE IN THE PAST YEAR?
Probably losing in the first round of the French Open.

 

AMERICAN TENNIS FANS ARE ALL PULLING FOR YOU TO WIN YOUR FIRST GRAND SLAM EVENT.
Yeah, that would be great. It's tough though with that Swiss guy in the mix.

 

HE CAN'T BE NO.1 FOREVER. YOU'VE BEEN RANKED IN THE TOP 15 FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW, WHICH IS A GREAT FEAT. IS THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT SATISFYING, OR DO YOU STRIVE TO BE NO.1?
My ranking is something that isn't so important to me. If I make it to No.1 it would be something that I could always be proud of, but I can also be proud that I have done my best to this point and that has gotten me as high as No.4 in the world.

 

THAT'S A HEALTHY OUTLOOK, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE COMPETITION KEEPS GETTING STRONGER, FASTER AND YOUNGER. I WOULD THINK IT EITHER MAKES THE GAME MORE EXCITING TO YOU OR DISHEARTENING.
To me, the fact that the competition is getting better is exciting. I've seen it in every sport. The training methods get better and the athletes become more and more specialized. I think it's great to see the improvement and I try to keep up with it.

 

DO YOU HAVE PREDICTIONS FOR 2008?
I have stopped making any sort of predictions about life or tennis because I realize just how much is out of my control. So I just try to adjust to every situation as it comes to me.

 

SOME PEOPLE SAY THEY TREAT LIFE AS A "MARATHON," WHICH IMPLIES PATIENCE. YOU'VE SAID YOU TREAT YOUR LIFE MORE LIKE A "SPRINT." WHAT DOES THAT IMPLY?
I want to get the most out of life and not plan to have all the time in the world. We all have a finite amount of time, so I try to use it as best as I can.

 

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE INSPIRATIONAL PROVERB THAT IS FITTING FOR SITUATIONS ON AND OFF THE COURT?
I wrote a proverb in my high school yearbook that I've always thought of as helpful throughout the years. I don't remember who first wrote it, but it goes: "Regrets over yesterday and fear of tomorrow are the twin thieves that rob us of the moment."

 

YOUR FATHER WAS GOOD WITH WORDS. IN YOUR BOOK YOU WROTE THAT HE INSTILLED A STRONG WORK ETHIC AND WOULD SAY “YOU CAN'T CONTROL YOUR TALENT, BUT YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR EFFORT.” WHEN DO YOU FEEL HIS PRESENCE MOST AND WHAT CAN YOU HEAR HIM SAYING? I feel my father's presence anytime I'm trying to do the right thing and make a positive difference in anyone's life. I just hope that every time that happens he's proud of me. Everything I do I do because of him in one way or another.

James in front with his mother (Betty), father (Tom), and brother (Thomas Jr.).

 

YOU'VE DESCRIBED YOUR DAD AS "FIERCELY INDEPENDENT, STRONG-WILLED, A MISTER SERIOUS DRILL SERGEANT." HAVE YOU INHERITED SOMEOF THOSE TRAITS?
I'm like my father when I'm doing anything competitive that I really care about. That is where my hard work, determination and strong will are most present.

 

YOUR MOM, ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU'VE CALLED A "SOFTIE." HOW ARE YOU MOST LIKE HER?
When it comes to animals. I'm such an animal lover that I can't help but stop and pet any sort of domesticated animal I see.

 

OF THE TWO, WHICH DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?
I think I'm a bit more like my father. I have a lot of his work ethic and many of his mannerisms. The older I get, the more I think I look like him too.

 

“I still don't take any painkillers and pretty much stay away from any sort of medication as much as I possibly can. I just try to take vitamin C and eat healthily.”

YOUR PARENTS GAVE YOU A GOLD BRACELET FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY A FEW YEARS AGO. I SEE YOU WEARING IT AT YOUR MATCHES. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU OR SYMBOLIZE? It's just a constant reminder of how much they care about me. It makes me feel like I'm never alone.   ARE THERE ANY CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE YOU WOULD TAKE IT OFF? No, I don't take it off ever. The only time it came off was when I broke it once on the tennis court, but I immediately had it fixed and went right back to wearing it.   YOU'VE SAID THAT BOTH OF YOUR PARENTS ENCOURAGED YOU AND YOUR BROTHER THOMAS TO ALWAYS BE READING A BOOK. HAVE YOU KEPT UP WITH THAT TRADITION AND ARE YOU READING A BOOK NOW? I still read all of the time. Right now I'm reading Barack Obama's, "The Audacity of Hope."

THEORHETICALLY, MEN THAT HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR MOTHERS HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR GIRLFRIENDS. HOW'S YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR MOTHER?
My mother and I are very close – we can talk and joke about anything with each other.

 

DOES SHE GIVE YOU ADVICE?
I've learned so much from her for so many, many years. I'm still learning from her and I find it amazing the times she actually listens tome because I know how bright she is. There's still so much I can still learn from her.

 

DOES SHE TELL YOU ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR? No, not really. In general, she just keeps me very grounded and reminds me that I'm still her little boy and no different from the rest of her children.   IN ANY WAY WOULD YOU, OR ANYONE ELSE, CONSIDER YOURSELF A "MOMMA'S BOY?" When I was a kid, I might have been considered a "Momma's Boy." I almost never got into trouble when I was growing up. I was the one neighbor kid that parents wanted their children to hang out with because they thought I was a good influence.   I SEE HER IN THE STANDS CHEERING YOU ON AT THE TELEVISED TOURNAMENTS. HOWIMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE HER AT YOUR MATCHES? I love having my mom at my tournaments.   DOES SHE GET ANXIOUS WATCHING YOU PLAY? I know she's nervous, but she rarely shows it these days. She's seen me play in tournaments since I was about 8 years old. It seems like she enjoys it more and more all the time.   IS SHE SITTING CLOSE ENOUGH FOR YOU TO HEAR HER CHEERS? She tries to be loud, but no matter how quiet she is, I can always single out her voice. I've heard it for so many years, I know it when I hear it.   NOW, FOR THE QUESTION EVERY SINGLE WOMAN WANTS TO KNOW: WHEN IT COMES TO GIRLFRIENDS, WHAT TYPE OF WOMAN ARE YOU TYPICALLY ATTRACTED TO? Women that are very happy with themselves. Of course I like it when I can make them even happier, but they first need to be content with themselves. I travel a lot so a certain level of independence is needed too.   WHAT KIND OF BOYFRIEND ARE YOU: EASY GOING, AFFECTIONATE, HARD TO PLEASE, MOODY? I'm not the most affectionate boyfriend at the start, but I try to prove my affection in other ways. I've heard that I can be a bit difficult to read, but I'm always honest about my feelings in relationships. I'm usually very easy going and relaxed.   ARE YOU HIGH-MAINTENANCE IN ANY ASPECT? I guess I'd be high-maintenance mainly because of my schedule. It makes it very difficult to carry on a normal relationship when you're on the road or out of the country as much as I am.   I'VE HEARD YOUR BUDDIES TEASE YOU ABOUT FALLING HARD IN A RELATIONSHIP. IS THAT TRUE OR ARE YOU MORE THE CAUTIOUS AND CONSERVATIVE TYPE? I'm pretty conservative at the start of relationships, but it kind of depends on how well I know the girl at the beginning of the relationship. If I've already developed a friendship before the relationship then I'd be more likely to fall pretty quickly.

When I need to relax I PLAY GOLF.   If I could change one thing about me it would be MY CREATIVITY.   I first decided to shave my head to PROVE SOMETHING TO MYSELF, now I shave it because IT'S SO EASY.   If I weren't a touring tennis pro I'd be IN SPORTS MARKETING.   My greatest weapons on the court are MY SPEED AND MY FOREHAND.   To play tennis on my terms means TO BE PLAYING HEALTHILY.   Without an alarm clock, I'd naturally wake up around 10 A.M. and go to bed around MIDNIGHT.   I never get tired of eating PIZZA.   I am a really LAID BACK guy.   My brother, Thomas, and I agree on MOST TENNIS PHILOSOPHIES and disagree about OUR SPORTS TEAMS.   If I were president of the U.S. I would SURROUND MYSELF WITH PEOPLE I TRUST AND RESPECT.   Being a former G.Q. model and People Magazine's "World's Sexiest Athlete" of the year, means THAT FOR SOME REASON THE PUBLICATIONS THOUGHT PEOPLE WANTED TO LOOK AT ME.   My favorite adult beverage with the guys is BEER.   A perfect date with a woman would involve A WHOLE DAY ENJOYING EACH OTHERS COMPANY AND SHARING SOME TIME WITH OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. IT WOULD END WITH A VERY RELAXED MEAL.   I could watch FAMILY GUY on TV all day long.   MY TENNIS BUDDIES FROM VERY YOUNG call me "Jimmy."   I'm more concerned with success IN LOVE than money.   I have had my heart broken by a woman 0 TIMES, AND I HOPE IT STAYS THAT WAY.   Before marriage I need TO BE SURE THAT IT IS THE RIGHT WOMAN.   Before children I need TO SPEND TIME ALONE WITH MY WIFE TO ENJOY OUR TIME BEFORE LIFE CHANGES WITH THAT FIRST CHILD.   Before I die I need TO KNOW I'VE DONE MY BEST AS A PERSON.   To be a James Blake girlfriend, she definitely needs A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.   I prefer to be alone when I LOSE A TENNIS MATCH.   I will never take MY HEALTH for granted again.   The most difficult thing about being a pro tennis player is THE CONSTANT TRAVEL.   Momma always told me to TREAT EVERYONE WITH RESPECT.   Playing tennis would be more fun if THE CROWD WAS ALLOWED TO BE MORE VOCAL AND THEY INCORPORATED MORE MUSIC.   One year from now I will be HOPEFULLY STILL PLAYING ON TOUR.   10 years from now I will be HAPPILY RETIRED, GRADUATED FROM HARVARD, AND HOPEFULLY MARRIED.   25 years from now I will HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'LL BE DOING.   I wish journalists would stop asking me ABOUT MY GOALS.