Blake's Career on the Rise

Gentleman James apologizes for fans
Agassi a definite no for Davis Cup

By Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane Camerawork USA, Inc.

FROM THE U.S. OPEN – While James Blake might be just a little shy of being primetime material if the benchmark is Top 10 status, he certainly is primetime when it comes to class.

After losing a three-hour, 34-minute, third-round battle 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4,, 3-6, 6-3 to Lleyton Hewitt, a repeat of their controversial second round match here last year, Blake offered up an apology to Hewitt for a few fans that went over the top this year.
When they played last year, fans overheard Hewitt making what many concluded was an overt racist comment. New York fans don’t forget and at one point in their match on Saturday afternoon a few fans suggested that the African-American Blake should not allow Hewitt to win because “he’s a racist.”

Speaking of their post-match exchange at the net, Blake said, “I just apologized for any fans that were, you know, speaking out negatively. That’s something I was somewhat embarrassed by when a few fans did that. I hoped that you guys (the media) would treat him better this year, as well. That’s all I had to say to him and ‘Good luck the rest of the way.’ ”

Blake, clearly trying to fend off any possible controversy this year, went so far as to jokingly blame a corporate sponsor for the too outspoken spectators.
“Well, I think Heineken being a sponsor might have had something to do with it,” Blake said, smiling. “But that’s what you’re going to get at the U.S. Open. That makes it a little different from Wimbledon, a little different from any of the other Grand Slams. That’s something that for me, it’s fun to be a part of a rowdy crowd, but I like it when it’s a little more just in good fun.”

DID HEWITT HEAR THE TAUNTS?
In fact, the moment might have seemed to unnerve Hewitt, serving in the eighth game of the fourth set, except that he insisted he didn’t hear what the woman said about him. Nevertheless, he posted four unforced errors, including two double faults, to surrender his serve and effectively move the match into a fifth set.

“Maybe his concentration did lapse, but I just tried to put it behind me,” Blake said. “I hadn’t really thought about it too much until the match ended.”

When told that the fan intimated that he was a racist, Hewitt brushed the comment aside, saying, “You’re always going to get some nutters in the crowd. Can’t do much about it.”

As for Blake, who currently sits at No. 26 and is hoping to keep climbing the tennis ladder to success, the loss to Hewitt was a major disappointment. The two have now played three times since their first career outing at this tournament last year and Blake’s been on the losing side every time.

“I wanted to show how far I’d come in a year, playing the same guy at the same tournament,” Blake said. “But he’s come a long way, too. He’s improved a lot of things.”

BLAKE HAS COME LIGHT-YEARS
While Blake didn’t change things up to post the win against Hewitt, he is being a bit too harsh on himself in terms of improvements in his game. Proof positive that he’s making great strides in his career is that just two weeks ago, Blake won his first career title at Washington.

“I’m happy with the progress; I’m not happy at the moment,” Blake said. I’m definitely happy with the direction things are going. I’m a very competitive person and, like I said, I really don’t like the feeling of losing. I’m proud that I was a part of this match, but I’m also really disappointed I didn’t come out on top.”

The rap on Blake remains his lack of consistency on the court as well as difficulty he experiences with his return-of-serve and backhand. It seems that in every match he plays, he brings an incongruous mixed bag of great play, good play and bad play.

But on the positive side, Blake has certainly picked up his self-belief and his intensity level on court and that should prove to bring him to a higher level in the game if he keeps the momentum going.

Agassi a definite no For Davis Cup
No one seems to want to take Andre Agassi’s word for real when it comes to the upcoming Davis Cup tie, probably because they know that the '99 Roland Garros champion offers the American’s the best chance to beat France on clay in Paris in the semifinal in a few weeks. But Agassi has said all year he was not participating in any Davis Cup tie and everyday reiterates that sentiment.

After his 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 third round drubbing of Ramon Delgado of Paraguay, Agassi’s agent and closest boyhood friend, Perry Rogers, said the no for Davis Cup is not going to be reconsidered.

“He’s been pretty clear about it, that he’s not going to play Davis Cup,” Rogers told tennisreporters.net. “He’s not going to change his mind; he’s not planning to play.”