MEDIBANK INTERNATIONAL

January 14, 2006

James Blake

JAMES BLAKE: I feel great. Similar to the way after New Haven going into the US Open last year. This is two in a row for me right before a Slam. That was my best result yet, quarterfinals and two points from the semis. So hopefully if I get the chance, I'll win those two points here in Melbourne and maybe make it further than I ever have there. But I'm just looking forward to playing with a lot of confidence, as I did today. Especially this was perfect, playing in the heat, get ready for three out of five. I don't know, would have been rough to play three out of five in this heat today, but both of us I'm sure would have found a way to get it done. And winning a close match. I've lost a lot of close matches when I was first coming back at the beginning of last year. A few six in the thirds, obviously that six in the fifth with Andre. To get a win like that really does help my confidence to know that I can win the really close matches as well as the ones that even if they're not routine, they seem routine - the four and four, or the three in the third or something. But to win a six in the third in a final, in the heat, couldn't ask for anything more, especially against such a good player like Igor who's played unbelievable the last six months.

JAMES BLAKE: Kind of requests...(smiling). Just kidding.

JAMES BLAKE: I'd like to think so, and this is probably the first time I can honestly answer that yes because through a lot of the other tournaments, a lot of the other Grand Slams I've been in, I felt like it would be a tall task just to get to the second week. And, you know, the kind of thinking of, "Okay, winning a couple of matches is a great effort." And seeing how close I got at the US Open last year kind of with a new-found confidence, I feel like there's no reason why I can't be a contender. I was at the US Open. This surface I think suits my game as well. Obviously, you know, I'm going to have to deal with the heat, but so does everyone. It's not bad. I don't feel bad about it. I feel like I'm in good shape. There's no reason for me not to be a contender outside of if Roger plays his best, I think we're all outsiders. But I like my chances. But that's not to say just like what happened here to Lleyton, you know, he lost to a guy ranked 60 or 70 in the world. He's one of the best players in the world and one of the favorites going into the Australian. Things like that can happen. I could go in and there's the chance I'll lose my first-round match to Acasuso, but I feel confident in the fact that I can get through that match and hopefully through many more and maybe holding another trophy down here in Australia. That's something I'm looking forward to. I just love the fact that I have this much confidence going into it, and I'm excited to play and see how it goes. I'm going to do the same thing I've done at every tournament and that's go in, do my best, and be proud of whatever that is. Even if I had lost today, a couple of the shots in the last tiebreaker had gone out, I was going for my shots and playing the way I felt has given me the best chance to win. I'm going to do the same in Melbourne. If they don't go in, they don't go in. I'm not going to hang my head in shame. But I am proud to say that I feel like I have a chance to contend for a major for the first time in my life.

JAMES BLAKE: Definitely. I have a whole different outlook on life really. Any time little things go wrong - and I count a little thing going wrong as losing a tennis match now. I got broken at 4-All in the third set. A couple years ago when I still had -- that's not to say I don't still have a charmed life, but, you know, I had everything going as planned and everything seemed to come easy, getting broken at 4-All in this kind of heat in the third set, I would have been pretty frustrated, hung my head on the changeover said, "I played badly, I should have won that" and still kind of dwelled on that. Now I don't worry about a little thing like getting broken. I came back and I played well, and you never know what can happen then. I think those little things all add up to playing better tennis. And just worrying about one point at a time, if you're down 40-Love, don't get down on yourself. Just take your chances and go for your shots and you're going to win one of those games one of the times and it might turn the match around. I think I definitely have a new perspective. I'm excited to play these tournaments, the Grand Slams, kind of every tournament because I'm realizing that this career is a very finite one. It's not going to last forever. If I get ten more years out of it, it would be incredible. But even if I fall down and hurt myself tomorrow and don't ever get another match out there, I'm proud of what I've done and I know it can be taken away at any time now. That's something that does make a difference in your perspective when you're out there, because you're trying to enjoy every moment win or lose or playing well, playing badly, big crowd on Stadium Court or smaller crowd on Court 2. Try to enjoy it. I still do live a very charmed life, to be doing what I love and getting paid for it.

JAMES BLAKE: I have heard the history of it a little bit. I've heard that it's been around since way, way before I was born, and that's something that does mean a lot to me. I was told right after that I'm only the second African American to win it and only the third African American at all to win it with Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson being the only other two. I'm definitely flattered and humbled any time I can put my name in the same sentence as Arthur Ashe. That's something that is always an accomplishment to me. He's a role model for more than just tennis players I think, and Althea Gibson as well. I'm very proud of that. I know the recent history of Lleyton kind of having a lock on this tournament. I guess anything can happen now. I'm also proud to be in the same company as him. He's a great champion, and to win any tournament four times is pretty darn impressive. So I'm proud to hold that trophy, and I'll keep it up front in my trophy case.

JAMES BLAKE: Tough for me to say. I know he's capable of doing that. He's one of the best players in the world. He rarely lacks of confidence. So he -- I know losing a match here or there isn't going to shake that confidence - at least I don't think so. And I didn't see much of his match with Seppi here because I was actually on the court at the same time, so I don't know how he played. But I did play Seppi last week, and I know he's capable of playing some pretty impressive tennis. He beat me and I didn't feel like I played very bad at all. I know he's capable of playing well and I'm sure Lleyton now knows that as well. That won't change, I don't think, his confidence. I don't know what kind of virus he had or stomach flu or whatever it was. But as long as that doesn't hamper him physically, I see no reason why he can't be one of the top contenders for the title. I mean, I think most people would consider Roger, Lleyton, Andy, maybe an outside shot for Haas and, I mean, a few other guys, Nalbandian as well even though he hasn't had much leadup practice. But, I mean, those are the guys who I think are really contending. I think there's no reason to count Lleyton out just because he's lost a couple of matches. I mean, he's got way too much confidence to let one or two matches affect him.