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U.S. OPEN

August 31, 2010

James Blake

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK

J. BLAKE/K. Vliegen
6-3, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What did you think when you heard the string break on break point in the third set?
JAMES BLAKE: I assumed he was going to get into net. He stayed back. I was surprised. Once I saw that, it was a little tricky because you don't want to be nervous and just push it in and let him take one free rip, especially with the strings these days, some of the polymono [phonetic] ones, they can hold their tension pretty well.
Looks like his got loose pretty quickly. Sometimes better to be lucky than good.

Q. Got to feel good for you getting through that first one in straight sets.
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, it's a great feeling. Any time you win a match, harken back to the days when my biggest goal and biggest dream was to win a round at the US Open. Somewhere along the way to some people it started to get taken for granted.
It's still exciting for me to win a match here, to have fans that are excited to see me play and get to play again in front of some great fans. I'm happy to get through. Kristof's a great player. Beaten me before. He's had some unfortunate injury problems in the last year or so. I know he probably wasn't at his best today and hasn't been at his best this year. But he fought hard, taking advantage of a late break, really made me work for it at the end.
Really just happy to get through and hopefully put as little stress on my body as possible since it's getting older and there's plenty of miles on it these days.

Q. At this stage, do you appreciate the fan support more than you used to?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't like to say I ever didn't appreciate it because I really always had a great time here and fed off of them. I play with emotion. It has always helped me.
But I think in '04 when my career could have ended, it made me realize that it can end at any time, and I wanted to appreciate those things a lot more because, you know, any injury could stop it. I want to remember what this feels like. I've talked to some retired players that say, Just enjoy it as long as you can. That's what I'm trying to do.
You know, I definitely know when I retire, whenever I'm done, that's what I'm going to miss the most is the competition and the fans. That's what I missed the most when I was gone, what I looked forward to so much when I came back, was the big points and the crowd reaction when you do something great, how much they support you.
So I always try to appreciate it. I definitely appreciate it more as I know I'm not a spring chicken anymore. I want to keep playing as long as I can. I know the fans help get me through it.

Q. Did that feel like a farewell at all last night, the ceremony?
JAMES BLAKE: A couple people mentioned something like that to me. They're trying to get rid of me already (smiling). I hope that's not the case.
But, you know, I was just really honored to be there. I didn't think of that until it came up yesterday when someone sort of mentioned that to me, 'cause I really, when I got the call first or email first actually about being a part of it, I didn't tell any of my friends or even my coach or anyone, because I thought in a couple weeks they were going to call and tell me, We found someone better, forget it, you don't need to be here for it.
Once it became real that I was a part of it, I was just proud to know that their message of someone that's inspired others, career that's inspired others is something that is shocking to me. Seemed like I was going through life day to day. I remember people talking about the scoliosis being such a great effort, going to the Shriner's Hospital, wearing a back brace, to me it seemed normal, because it's the only thing I knew. The only thing I knew was to come back when I was hurt.
It really is something to look back on when I'm done playing. I guess it's okay to look back while I'm still playing. I think I'll appreciate it even more when I'm done and know there are kids out there that looked up to me, there are people that hopefully were inspired and saw that I succeeded in what I wanted to do.
I don't think I want to put it all into perspective quite yet, because I think I've got more career left in me, more good tennis. I'm looking forward to that. Then when I'm done, I really hope I can sit back and really be proud. That was the first and only goal I've ever had in tennis, when I put my racquets down to know I did the best I could and have no regrets.
Last night was a good step to showing I've done my best so far.

Q. Andre Agassi might be up for the Hall of Fame pretty quickly. What are some of your thoughts about his contribution to the game of tennis and your own personal interactions with him when you wore the outfit as an homage?
JAMES BLAKE: It's going to be tough for him to get in. I don't know if he's got the credentials (smiling).
I think it's going to be something that I'd like to see 'cause he's such a great speaker. I think we all remember his speech here in his last match. He's someone that also played with a little bit of emotion and fed off the crowd and enjoyed tennis and appreciated as much, had a second career as well when he dropped all the way down to 141 and came back to No. 1.
What he did, he belonged there last night as well as someone that's inspired so many others, including myself. He finished here, he beat me when he was 35, I think, 34, 35. You know, there's a chance I still could be playing in four or five more years.
His brand of tennis maybe took a little less punishment on his body because he was the one doling out all the punishment. I'm proud to say I'm a friend of his. He's someone that helped me. You wouldn't think of a superstar like that calling a young kid to give him a scouting report, helping him out when he really didn't need to, treating him at his nightclub in Las Vegas. Everything you could think of for a superstar they normally wouldn't do, he was there to do. To be a normal guy, to be one of the guys in the locker room, I respected him so much for that.
A great talent. I'm sure his speech is going to indicate how much he got out of the sport of tennis and how much we got from him. I think we're going to reflect how much we got from him. Just a great champion and someone that helped the game.

Q. What are your thoughts on the Mardy Fish transformation, both in his physique and his mental approach?
JAMES BLAKE: He's playing great. I remember a couple years ago when he played me here, I've always seen him -- I practice with him all the time, so I know he's got a ton of talent. Seemed like he kept getting snake bit. Get a little roll going, then he'd get injured. Get a little roll going, then he'd get injured.
Now he's been healthy this whole year. He's really committed to his fitness, to his nutrition. The results are showing. When he's playing well, there's no doubt in my mind he's a top 20 player. It's just a matter of him staying healthy. He's committed to it. Doesn't mean there's a guarantee. There's still bad luck. Anyone can roll an ankle. Doesn't matter how fit you are; you can roll an ankle, pull a hamstring.
He's doing everything he can now to be a success and it's showing. Even though he's not my neighbor anymore, I kind of miss him. He's still one of my best friends. He's just doing great, singles and doubles. He's competing so hard, even grinding out a few matches. I mean, I know maybe a few years ago when he was young, if he won the first set 6-0 and lost the next two sets, there might be a few smashed racquets in his bag, he might have been a little upset, but he fought hard today and continues to do that. I'm really happy for him.
It's a great sign for American tennis to let people know that it's not just Andy and myself, the guys that are getting older. It's not Isner and Querrey, the young guys. Mardy has been a great player for a long time. He deserves a ton of credit.

Q. What do you make of all the weight he lost, how he handled his diet and what he's done now?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, I think he didn't know exactly what else he could do when he was injured. That's sometimes the way I felt when I was injured is that you want to do what you can, but you're limited.
He was limited because he couldn't do much on his knee. So he took it upon himself to really focus on the nutrition, which is a very mature and professional attitude. He stuck with it all year.
It's showing in better fitness, better agility, better footwork. He's able to keep just as much power. So it works for him.
I think everyone's different. Some people, their physiques are just a little bigger, a little smaller than others. In an individual sport, you have to find what works for you. Even if it takes till you're 28 years old, he's finding what works best for him.
For me it took a little longer than some others. Guys like Andy Roddick were pretty committed to his game, confident in what he was doing at a young age. In an individual sport, it's just finding what works. He's done a great job of finding what works, being mentally tough to fight through it. 'Cause, like I said, he'd been snake bit.
That's going to wear on you a lot if you never feel like you can get a real roll going throughout a year, two years, and he's kept fighting. I'm really happy for him.

Q. How would you describe what the vibe is here around the grounds at the stadium when you play a night match here?
JAMES BLAKE: Night matches get crazy here and I love it. Fans have a few drinks, usually the women's match. Seems like when I'm playing a night match, the women's match takes at least three hours. So it's always really late. They have plenty of fun, plenty of Heinekens. They're enjoying themselves.
A lot of times, since it's the only match on, they just want to see more tennis. You get up. You almost feel bad if you're trying to win it quickly and get off, especially the way I play, I play quick. They want to see more tennis. I think that's why it was exciting that match I played with Agassi. I think he was probably the crowd favorite at the start. I won the first two, and then he was the huge crowd favorite. They wanted him to come back. The fifth set, I think they were torn. They wanted to see more tennis. It's a lot of fun.
It's really tough to get New York excited about any one thing. Night matches, it seems like all they care about is tennis. They get excited for it. That's an energy you don't get too often at any other sporting event. I'm thrilled to have been a part of as many as I have been and hope I have a few more in me.

Q. Did you see Roger's trick shot last night?
JAMES BLAKE: I saw it on TV today.

Q. Can you talk about that as a player.
JAMES BLAKE: I think a lot of the guys on tour have tried those in practice and messed around. We're pretty excited when we make it in practice, not on Arthur Ashe Stadium. He's got the confidence to do it. He's pretty impressive. I don't know if anyone knew before that, but he's a pretty good athlete.

Q. Did you see the video where he knocks the can off somebody's head?
JAMES BLAKE: I haven't seen it. I heard about it. Then I heard there was like a controversy as to whether or not it was real or it was just Photoshopped. I haven't seen it and have no idea. Sorry.

Q. Is that something you would ever try if someone posed that challenge to you?
JAMES BLAKE: I better not like the person very much (laughter). I wouldn't trust my accuracy with that. Depends how far they are, but I wouldn't trust my accuracy hitting the ball -- hitting a can off someone's head. Like I say, Roger's a pretty good athlete.

Q. Good enough, though, to take on that kind of a challenge, that's unrealistic, even for a professional tennis player?
JAMES BLAKE: I don't know how hard he hit it. The ball is only two ounces. But if he's firing it in, that's going to sting on someone's head. It will take someone pretty brave to stand in there. I think even Roger's accuracy might not be perfect every time.
Like I said, I haven't seen it, so I don't really know how hard he's hitting it or what. I wouldn't hit a ball as hard as I could anywhere near someone's head.

Q. You played a lot of great matches here. Does the win over Youzhny in Portland in '07 stand out for you still as your greatest match of your career?
JAMES BLAKE: It's the most memorable, yeah. That's the one that I think I'll remember forever 'cause that Davis Cup team was one that had been through a lot together. We played so many matches together, I think the most of any group, specific group, in U.S. history.
We just had so much fun together. We had won a lot, we had lost a lot. We made it through that whole journey, got to the finals, and we all contributed. Andy won. I won a close one. The Bryans closed it out. We were all part of that year, part of that victory, shared holding that victory, being part of something special.
For me, that was pretty darn exciting, especially since I lost to him the year before on the clay in Russia. To get a win over him, three tiebreaks, it wasn't on cruise control by any stretch. Came through in a lot of big points, had a lot of confidence at that time. Had the fans and the team right behind me.
That's always going to be a pretty good memory. When you have the Bryan twins playing doubles for you, you feel pretty confident going into Saturday up 2-0.

Q. As an outsider, it seems surprising that a guy could have been a pro tennis player, an elite player, then have 30 pounds to lose. Where would you get it?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, he's got a game that makes it possible to do that. His hand-eye is so good, I've learned that from playing golf with him. His athleticism in his hands his just unbelievable. He was able to dictate play so much. It's the way Agassi was when he played. He had that kind of hand-eye.
He could pick a ball off the baseline and just rip it for a winner. That's the way Mardy was with a huge serve as well.
So he was able to do that. I think also that was the heaviest he was when he had the surgery, because he wasn't able to train before that. I think normally he wasn't playing at 206, whatever it said he was. I don't think he was normally playing at that weight. I think that was the extreme.

Q. Is he going to start a trend among guys?
JAMES BLAKE: Not with me. I usually try to put on weight. That was my problem when I was younger is that I couldn't keep weight on. I would lose weight as I went to tournaments. Like I said, everyone's body is different. I know every girl I talk to hates me because I say I have to force food in every time, and it's hard.
For some reason, they're not crying tears of sympathy that I have to force an extra dinner in or food in or an extra Power Bar. It's just different for everyone. If I didn't work at staying at a specific weight, I'd lose weight and wouldn't have enough really in the tank for five-setters or anything like that.

End of FastScripts

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