US OPEN

September 3, 2006

James Blake

THE MODERATOR: First question, please.

Q. What changed for you in the tiebreak in the second set?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, like I said out there, I don't really feel like I'm down too often on that court. The fans are still behind me. I won that 6 2 point and I heard a pretty big ovation, and that's not normal. Most times in that tennis match you're down in the breaker, people are kind of assuming it's over. They didn't think it was over. I got two first serves in. Before you know it, it's 6 5. At that point I thought, okay, if I can get this point, this crowd's gonna go crazy, they're gonna be so excited and Carlos has to feel it. He's about the coolest customer out there, but he's got to feel it. He's still human.
So just did my best. Got that point. I think I grinded out a couple of gets, and then he definitely felt it, I think. He double faulted on the 6 All point. I kind of forced an error out of him on the next point.

Q. Have you come from that far back to win a tiebreak before?
JAMES BLAKE: Not that I can remember in these I mean, not since I've been on tour. But, I mean, played a ton of matches. I may have at some point, but nothing like at the US Open in a night match.

Q. A situation where the crowd is responding to you, but are they also helping you as you're coming back?
JAMES BLAKE: Definitely they're helping me. Like I said, at 6 2, the tendency is probably to hang your head a little. Once I won that point, I realized I'm still in there, go after your shots, the crowd's going to be behind you no matter what. I went after my shots, felt much more relaxed than I probably would have in a different situation. So it was a good feeling and they definitely helped me.

Q. Was there an emotional letdown in the third?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, maybe. I mean, just that first game was kind of bad. I made a couple of errors. He hit some good shots, though. Then he kept serving well.
I felt like I served well pretty much the whole match. There were times my return went off a little I thought. A lot had to do with him serving well. Seems like every time I play him, he serves great, especially breakpoints. 30 All points, stuff like that. He seems to hit corners. Part of the reason he's so good.
So, yeah I don't even remember the question. It's too late for me. I need to get some sleep.
But, no, he played real well.

Q. Lot of occasions where you had to dig deep. In that fourth set, he had a couple of breakpoints. In the seventh game, you were able to pull that out.
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, that was another one where just felt like I wasn't down. 15 40, I felt like I had a chance. Got it back with I think I don't think I got either of those were service winners. I think I got into the points and played pretty well. The first one, he missed that backhand just barely. That was my game plan, attack the backhand. Try to force myself in on his backhand side, his weaker wing, and I was able to do that. So I executed my game plan.
If he can beat me with his weaker shot, then that's when I have to just tip my cap and say, Too good. He wasn't able to do it on that point. I was pretty happy that I executed that way.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about how special it is to win here at the US Open today on the same day that Andre Agassi played his last match.
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, it's amazing. There's a lot of emotions out there today. I watched that whole match, and it's tough to watch Andre go out with that much pain in his back, with it was great to see the standing ovation for about eight minutes or whatever that he got. The crowd was amazing. He deserved every minute of that, and more. He's done so much for the sport.
But then to go out there and win, it's a reminder that that feeling that I had today, it's it's only so long. It's a finite existence on the tennis tour. He was great, especially at the end of his career, at appreciating the moments, at appreciating every win, and appreciating the fans for what they give to him. I try to do the same. I felt like I was able to do that today. I appreciated every time the fans were getting behind me, every time they were cheering for me. I think it helped me.
And, you know, I mean, I know I'm reasonable enough to that my time is gonna come at some point when I'm saying farewell to this crowd. I hope it's on my terms. I hope it's much later rather than sooner. But I have to appreciate moments like this today where I got a victory over an excellent player, someone that's been No. 1 in the world, like Carlos Moya. I'm gonna go now and really appreciate this and sleep pretty well when I finally get to sleep at 3 a.m. (smiling).

Q. What can you tell us about Berdych and how have you done against him?
JAMES BLAKE: 1 0 against him. I played him in DC a couple years ago. Kind of that the tournament that first made my comeback or whatever, started playing well and got back on the scene. No, that was last year.
He's a player with a lot of weapons. His serve is huge. Forehand is huge. He can even slap his backhand for winners. I got to talk to my coach who watched most of his whole match today. But from what I remember from last year, he's very streaky. Just dangerous. I think everyone saw how talented he is when he beat Federer at the Olympics.
But hopefully, a lot of that streakiness has to do with how the other person is playing. If I'm putting pressure on him, it's tougher to have a good streak. That's what I got to worry about, focus on my game. I mean, I have to go in knowing that there is a chance he can play that kind of streaky tennis and just get hot for three straight sets. There might not be as much I can do.
But just like tonight, when I'm down, if I'm ever done, I'm up, just keep focused and just keep staying positive, even if I'm down, just go right back and know that I can start dictating play at any time, too.

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