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ATP MASTER SERIES MADRID

October 18, 2006

James Blake

MADRID, SPAIN

Q. James, I guess it's possibly difficult to answer questions without taking credit away from your opponent. But could you talk about how you adapted from Stockholm to here and how difficult it is to adapt?
JAMES BLAKE: It's tough. The altitude here, obviously the preparation isn't perfect. It's kind of a fine line between having a lot of confidence and having a lot of matches, as opposed to being prepared better, being here for longer, getting used to the courts, getting used to the altitude, just kind of being ready.
I felt like I got ready after the first set. I definitely felt like there was a little slow start. Then I felt like I played all right in the second set. The third set I had my chances. I can't really blame the lack of preparation on that. When you have your chances, you've got to take advantage. When you're serving at 6-5, you really should win the match. Kristof played a solid game there, and I made some mistakes. Didn't make too many first serves, missed a couple of forehands.
It's not the way you want to go out. He plays a good breaker after that. What can you do.

Q. Did you always feel there was a risk of this happening having done so well the previous week?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, whether or not I'd done well last week, I always feel like there's a risk of this. Kristof is a great player. He's in the Top-40 for a reason.
When I looked at the draw from Stockholm here, I said there's not one easy first round. There aren't guys in this that can't play. Outside of Roger, just about anyone can beat anyone here.
Notwithstanding how I did last week, there's always a chance of coming into one of these kind of tournaments and losing first round. I wish I had the ability to come in and say I'm going to play my best every day and feel like I'm going to win. It's not realistic. I wish I could. I wish I could have come through this match and won. But I didn't. I've got to regroup and figure out what to do.

Q. In the scheme of things how significant is this result? You're still well-placed for Shanghai, aren't you?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. It depends how the rest of the guys do this week. That's kind of frustrating to me to just be on the sidelines watching as opposed to me being the active participant. It's always tougher -- for me I get much more nervous watching tennis matches than I do playing them. When I used to watch my brother all the time, my nails would be destroyed from biting them, picking them, my skin.
I get much more nervous doing that. I probably won't watch too many matches because I don't want to be cheering against some of my friends that are in the race with me ar anything like that or worrying about it.
I'm probably going to stay away from the tennis courts tomorrow at least and just kind of let them battle it out and see where I end up at the end of the week.
I know Paris is going to be important no matter what. Whatever position I'm in, if I'm 6th after this week or 9th or 10th after this week, I know Paris is going to be important, and then it will be back in my hands hopefully where I can make a difference and get some wins and then really position myself well for Shanghai.
Still, this situation is still possible there though. I can come up against a guy that's red hot, playing great. You take a guy like Joachim Johansson who can serve guys off the court. I could play him first round and through no fault of my own I could lose in two tie breakers or something. I know that's a possibility, but I hope I can come through and win these close matches next time.

Q. How much of a factor is the altitude here? Because there's a few players who have mentioned it? Can you talk about that a bit?
JAMES BLAKE: I think it's definitely a factor. The first game I got broke even and a couple of my forehands have just sailed. I think it's tougher to play your normal rally ball. It ends up sailing a little bit more than you expect.
If I had a little more time, I think I definitely played better in the third set than the first set. I think Kristof did as well. I think it helps to have that match under your belt where I've played. And it's definitely something that affects most of the guys when they get here. It's something that makes it a little tougher to deal with, but, same for everyone.

Q. Would you still rate the season a success if you don't make the Masters Cup?
JAMES BLAKE: Yes, absolutely. I feel like I'm a better player right now than I was this time last year. That's what I try do every year is try to get better. I've been as prepared as possible for every tournament I've gone into it. I've lost a lot of close matches. I've won a lot of close matches.
I don't feel like I've ever gotten too down on myself, been too negative. If I have, I feel like I've corrected it much better than I ever used to. I've gotten ready for every match the way I really hoped to. Even today, although the preparation wasn't perfect with being in Stockholm so long, I still feel like I did my best with the adjustment. I'm obviously frustrated and upset that I lost the match, but I can't say that I could have done anything different.

Q. When you look back at the third set, what could you have done differently?
JAMES BLAKE: I could have made a lot more first serves. That would have been one thing. Serving at 6-5, I think I only made one first serve. I didn't take advantage of that. I don't know what the reason was. I felt like my serve was in pretty good rhythm last week. Maybe it was the altitude. Maybe it was just my serve going off for a game. I definitely could have made more first serves. I just missed a couple of shots.
I don't know what else to say. I could have made those shots. That's what I could have done differently. I don't think tactically I played it that wrong. I just missed a couple, and he made a couple.

Q. Just getting back to the altitude thing again. Is that a factor in the fact that you haven't had much success here in Madrid?
JAMES BLAKE: Much success or no success?

Q. No success?
JAMES BLAKE: I think that might be a factor. But like I said it's the same for everyone. So I don't want to make it an excuse. Everyone has to adjust. Maybe I'm not a good enough athlete to adjust like everyone else, I don't know.
I think there have been different reasons each time. To blame it on one thing wouldn't be right. The first year I played here, I was burned out, to be honest. I learned my lesson from playing too much. I went straight through from Davis Cup to Asia and coming back here. I was just burned out.
The next year I played Mirnyi who was serving and volleying great that day. This time I lost a tough one that I thought I could have won. I was in Stockholm for a long time. I definitely had my chances today but didn't take advantage. Maybe next year.

Q. Would you change your preparation at all because of the --
JAMES BLAKE: I think I'll probably still play Stockholm. It's, I'm 10-0 there. You kind of stick to your strengths. Like I said, probably at the beginning of these two weeks, if anyone had said I'm going to win Stockholm and lose first round, I'd probably say, okay, I'll take that. You hope to do better.
I can't complain too much about how I've been playing over here. It's one of those things where I'm going to be disappointed for another day and then get over it and get focused for the next one.

Q. On another subject. Hawkeye has been in use for a few months now. What do you think of the Hawkeye? Do you like it and do you like the two challenges system, or would you like to see the system available on only close calls?
JAMES BLAKE: I like the system. I like Hawkeye. The main thing I've always said about it is I like it as long as the fans like it. I'm accepting of human error in a sport. If they're going to make a mistake, that's fine.
But if the crowd likes it, I think we also have to be accepting that we're entertainers and the crowd is there for a reason. And they're the ones that are supporting us and feeding our families, so to speak.
I have no problem with it. I like it. I think it's great. It doesn't take too long. It doesn't slow down the game in any way. The fans have fun. For me it's great. And it could affect a very important call.
I think the numbers get skewed with the fact that we're not right as often because a lot of times we'll do it just because it's the end of the set and we might as well.
But I also think that at the end of those sets those points could be huge. Every overturned call could almost be the difference between a match going one way or the other. They're very important every time it happens.
If the fans don't like it, then I say we get rid of it and we do whatever they like. But for me it's been great. I've been successful quite a few times. It has changed matches at times. I really like it.
The two challenges a set rule is fine. It could make people a little tentative. I have no problem with making it unlimited the way we do on clay, where you see a mark and you can check it. It goes so quickly that I don't see a problem with that.

Q. How do you rate your chances at the Masters Cup? 50/50?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I lose too much money in Las Vegas to gamble. So I have no idea. I wouldn't make odds.

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