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INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA (MEN)

May 8, 2007

James Blake

ROME, ITALY

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Americans seem to have an aversion to clay, but you seem to quite like it.
JAMES BLAKE: Let's not get crazy. I don't really excel on it or anything, but I don't mind it. I've had some success. I've beaten some pretty good clay court players in the last couple years in Moya, Murray, Monfils, so I'm not as opposed to it as maybe some of the other American players.
I think my speed is enough to help me play defense well on it, and hopefully my forehand is enough to create problems for other guys. So I've enjoyed it and it's just been a matter of getting better each year on how well I move on the clay.
I think the difference between the guys that are comfortable on it and the guys that aren't ius they know how to move very well and very effectively on it.
So I'm getting better and better, and each year I kind of look forward to the clay court season to see how well I have improved on it.

Q. (In Italian) Is it something special for you to play in Rome where you had that accident?
JAMES BLAKE: Uh-huh. Yes, it is. It's something I think about very often, and I continue to think about it much more so here in Rome. It's just a constant reminder of how lucky I am. How lucky I am to be healthy and walking, because an inch further over and I wouldn't ever be able to walk again.
So it is a good reminder to keep things in perspective whether or not I win or lose a tennis match not to get too ahead of myself and think I'm great because I win, and not to get too down just because I win a tennis match. To realize there are greater things in life and I'm lucky to be playing. I'm lucky to be having the success I've had.
It's a great reminder to keep things in perspective to be back here. Aside from that, it's also a beautiful city. I love being here and the love the food, so I try to enjoy as much as I can of the city.

Q. (In Italian) Do you think you can win this tournament?
JAMES BLAKE: I go into every tournament hoping and thinking I can. But I think Rafael Nadal has got a pretty good streak going. Someone is going to have to break that. I'd love to have the opportunity. I've never played him on clay. But right now I got to worry about getting past my next round.
I know anyone can beat me on clay. So there's a chance I could lose next round, but I'm I also feel like I'm getting better each time. So I don't think there's anyone on clay I completely fear or feel like I can't win. It'll be interesting to see, but it's a long way to get to that point.

Q. (In Italian) In Italy we are talking a lot about the cyclist, Basso, who has admitted to using steroids. So there is sort of a lot of people talking about this. Do you think it's a problem in tennis as well, or just a problem with other sports?
JAMES BLAKE: I think it's a problem with any sport where there's such a competitive nature and so much on the line in terms of financial rewards. So I'm sure it has happened in tennis. We've had suspensions and had guys caught. I hope it's eradicated the problem. I hope that all the players realize that the suspension are legitimate.
There's real danger to it. I think that's the most important thing for me is the danger in the rest of their lives. Because the doping and steroids and HGH, any of that stuff, no one knows how much it's going to affect you for the long-term.
For me that's a huge reason why I would never do it, because I want to be happy and healthy when I'm 50 and 60 years old. So I think it's unfortunate that guys feel like they need to do that to get an unfair advantage, and I think it's cheating. I would never cheat in terms of making a bad call, and I think this is a grander and more elaborate and more dangerous way to cheat.
So I hope it's a problem that's been solved in tennis, but I'm also realistic. I know with as much that's on the line, guys are still going to do it. I hope every one that does try it or does cheat gets caught and they face the punishment. Because it is cheating the whole rest of the tour.
So I would never be a part of it and I hope the guys on tour aren't a part of it. I think tennis does a great job of testing. We test very often in and out of competition for every possible drug. I think we adhere to the Olympic committee rules, so I'm proud of that and I'm proud that tennis has been, compared to others, a very clean sport.

Q. Talk about your form. Last year you lost to Monfils in five sets, whereas now you've just beaten him in straight sets. So you see that as an improvement for you?
JAMES BLAKE: I hope it's an improvement. I definitely feel like I'm better on clay. I feel like last year that was a great match. It could have gone either way. I think he played excellent and had the French crowd behind him as well.
I feel like I've gotten better. Whether or not this one match proves it, I don't know, but I definitely feel like I've gotten better on clay. I made it further in the Houston tournament in the clay courts in America than I ever had, and now I think I lost here in the first round the last two or three times I played.
So I hope I'm showing only signs of improvement, and hopefully I can keep that up throughout the whole clay court season.

End of FastScripts

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