At a recent tennis event, I asked John McEnroe to discuss the struggles of James Blake who has recently dropped out of the top 50 in the ATP rankings.
“I think it’s amazing he got to #4 in the world,” says McEnroe. “His speed was one of the greatest I’ve ever seen. So that was a great weapon. But he plays one way. The best guys have a little more variety, they have more options. When he goes at you, he’s like the guy that throws the 98 mile per hour fastball, 96, there’s days when he’s unhittable and he’ll beat anybody. But to consistently do that is quite difficult to win seven matches in a major. I think his best chance was that match with Andre (at U.S. Open 2005 QF) when he was up two sets and a break in the third. I think he had a break in the fifth also. And he lost 7-6 in the fifth 63 63 36 36 67). That was probably one of the best matches he’s ever been involved with. But he came up short. He played Roger close a couple of times on hard courts, I think he played him in the quarterfinal once or twice. So, I mean, you’re talking two of the best players – you put Roger as the best, Andre at worst, you’re not gotta put him below top six or eight.. So you’re talking about incredible players that he lost to. And he wasn’t as comfortable on other surfaces. He didn’t make the adjustments. At this point it would be a tall order to put him in mind to make a deep run into a major.”
Blake, now 30, is ranked #52, has won 10 career ATP singles titles. He has not made a significant run at a Grand Slam or Masters Series event since making the semis at the 2008 Paris Indoors (lost to Tsonga). The flashy American is now coached by former ATP pro Kelly Jones since after the 2009 U.S. Open.
Topics: Atp Rankings, Atp Singles, Career, Fastball, Grand Slam, James Blake, John Mcenroe, Kelly Jones, Masters Series, Match, Paris, Plays One, Qf, Quarterfinal, Semis, Surfaces, Tennis Event
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