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U.S. OPEN

August 26, 2007

James Blake

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. The past couple years you've had a bunch of night matches that have been considered some of the great matches of these tournaments. Are night matches something you look forward to at the US Open, or is it something that gets in the way of your schedule?
JAMES BLAKE: I love it. I really do look forward to it. As a kid, I remember, you know, you see the matches at night, the marquee matchups, very memorable, exciting. So to play in them when the crowd's just going crazy, it gets late, they're still sticking around, coming down closer to the court, it's a really memorable experience and something that I really look forward to.

Q. What has been your favorite one so far?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, definitely the Agassi one has been the most memorable. Even though it's a loss, it was something that really was good for the sport. We had such a great battle until 1:30 in the morning. Just both kind of fought our hearts out. He just played a little better, played like the champion he is to win that match.
The fact that I'm still getting people talking about that match two years later, telling me how inspired they were, how much it got them excited about tennis, about the US Open, is something that shows that he really knew what he was talking about when he said it was good for the sport right after the match.

Q. How long have you been down in Tampa now?
JAMES BLAKE: I moved down there just after I turned pro, so about seven years.

Q. Was it with Mardy initially?
JAMES BLAKE: Mardy moved maybe a year or two later. He actually lived with me for a couple months while he was looking for a place. Then he moved in pretty close to me. We both kind of switched neighborhoods around the same time. We've been practically neighbors ever since.

Q. What is it like with Isner in the mix now?
JAMES BLAKE: It's great. We're giving him a hard time so far. He's putting up with it well. He's a great kid. Fit in very well down there. We like him a lot. I know he's -- I have a feeling he's going to fit in on tour as well with how big his serve is. I think he's going to be around for a long time. He's got a great game and a great attitude, too.
We like having him around.

Q. Has he hung onto the James Blake T-shirt he had to wear?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't think he'll be wearing those any more unless we make a few more bets or anything else. He put up with our harassing him. He's going to come be a practice partner at the Davis Cup. We'll continue a little more harassing. He'll get over it and he'll be done being a rookie pretty soon, get to give some new guy a hard time in a couple years I'm sure, too.

Q. When you set off on your book project, did you have any idea it would sell so well?
JAMES BLAKE: Really had no expectations coming in. Being my first time, I didn't know what was going to be a good effort, what was going to be a bad effort, if people were going to be interested at all.
The fact that people are interested, I've heard so many great things at every one of my book signings where people are relating their stories, is very great validation for me to know that those people can relate to me now more as a human being than just a tennis player.

Q. They tell you their troubles?
JAMES BLAKE: Exactly. They tell me they can relate, whether it's family tragedy, whether it's a health issue, just having a tough time in their lives, that somehow the book spoke to them and made a difference with them, possibly inspired them, or that they've gotten something out of it that they want to pass on to something else, that they want to give the book to someone else.
That's the ultimate validation for me, to know that I did it and I'm happy that I did it. It gives me a reason to be kind of gratified with the whole experience.

Q. Do you believe it's your health issues that's made you a crowd favorite here? Is it you're American? Is it your great play?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. I mean, I hope it's kind of all wrapped into one with the fact I was born in New York. I was a fan of this tournament. The fact that I've played so many tough matches here. I've come back from certain things which, like I said, a lot of people can relate to.
Hopefully more can relate to after seeing my book. Just the fact that I think people recognize the fact I'm giving a hundred percent out there. I'm doing my absolute best. I appreciate the fans' support. I'm having fun for the sake of hopefully making sure they're having fun as well. I think they can see that.
I'm being genuine when I'm out there. I think that's the best thing people can do when they're on the court is just be themselves. For me, that's trying to be fun loving, having a good time, making sure earn else is, too.

Q. As a boy, did you have any favorite sports book?
JAMES BLAKE: The Jordan Rules I read when I was a kid, about Michael Jordan. He was kind of my sports idol, still is someone I look up to for the fact that he always spoke about every single practice, every single game, he wanted to prove that he was the hardest worker, that he was doing the best that he could.
You never know if there's one person out there that will only get to see you that one time, and you want to impress them that one time. If that's your goal each time, you're going to work as hard whether it's the first game of the regular season or the last game of the playoffs.
I think his attitude is very refreshing for somebody already on top. He didn't really need to prove himself to anyone with how much he already accomplished. The fact he did that was something that he was very impressive to me. Since then I've read all of the biographies of him.
As I got older, I read Days of Grace, which is a favorite of mine, and still is a favorite book of mine.

Q. Everybody knows the US Open is one of the most important tournaments for you.
JAMES BLAKE: For me the US Open is the biggest tournament of the year. I've always looked forward to this. I do get a different feeling when I come here. I still get goosebumps walking onto Arthur Ashe stadium because this is what I was a fan of. I am still a fan of this tournament. It's kind of a situation where I have to pinch myself each time to know that I really do -- I'm really a player here, I'm one of the guys that the kids are looking up to the same way I was looking up to all the players that were here.
It shows me how far I've come to get to this point. It's really a thrill to play every time and to be a part of this whole event. The fans just add so much to that with their excitement showing through. To have New York this excited about tennis for two weeks out of the year, it's an unbelievable experience.

Q. What was your first visit?
JAMES BLAKE: My first visit, I was probably about 10 years old. I came with my dad and watched the qualifying with a guy named -- we watched our friend Phil Williamson play.

Q. In the United States and in Colombia everybody love you. What make you to be loved for everybody?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know. Like I said before, I'm trying to have fun on the court. I hope the fans see that. They're hopefully having a good time watching me. I just try to do my best, not really ruffle any feathers, but just have a lot of fun out there.
I like to keep things in perspective. I want to win as bad as anyone. I'm very competitive. But it's still a game. We have to realize that there are other things in life.
So I think people can appreciate that. Sometimes maybe get down on the people that may see this as the beginning and end of the whole world. We live in a very small world, in the tennis community. I'm proud to be a part of that. I love the feeling I get. But it is still just a game.

Q. Djokovic said the first few times he played Federer he just wanted to show he could compete and put up a good score, then he started to come out and say now it's time to win. Did you ever go through such a progression playing Federer?
JAMES BLAKE: No. The first time I played him was here. I thought I had a chance to win. He played great. It was another night match. We had a couple really close sets. He kind of ran away with one a little bit more.
I felt like I had a chance to win. That was probably before he was the Roger Federer that everyone knows of today that was so dominant. I think he ended up losing in the next round. But I felt like there was a chance to win.
Being that I played him before he ascended to the No. 1 ranking, I thought about the fact that he is still human and he's still going to have bad days. So every time I played him I felt like I had a chance to win. Unfortunately, it hasn't turned out that way. But I always feel that way. I never felt like I was going out there just to put up a good score.
I'm not going to go into any match thinking I'm happy losing 6-6. I go into every match trying to find a way to win that match.

End of FastScripts

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