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A Conversation With James Blake

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By NICK WILLIAMS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 7, 2008

Tampa resident James Blake, who makes his Olympic debut in Beijing, took time out while competing at the Cincinnati Masters to answer questions via e-mail:

How did you feel about being selected for the Olympics?

It's an honor to be a member of the Olympic team. My greatest memory of my career is competing and winning for my country in Davis Cup. I can only imagine a similar feeling for the Olympics.

What do you hope to take from the experience?

I am really looking forward to meeting all of the other athletes and seeing how they train and how they handle the pressure of four years of training coming down to just a few seconds. I am very excited to get there and be a part of the whole experience.

You have been playing tennis for more than 20 years, yet are there any areas in which you think you should improve?

I always think there are areas of the game that I can improve. Right now, I have been working on my volleys and my serve.

You have an amazing life story, being diagnosed with scoliosis as a teen; in 2004 you broke your neck, lost your father and developed the shingles. How did you manage to overcome this?

I overcame everything in my life with the help of my friends and family. They have always been there to keep me smiling, no matter what the situation.

In 2007 you published "Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life," detailing your comeback after the 2004 season. Were you cautious about putting something so personal out there?

I was a little cautious before writing the book but I overcame that and was very pleased with the way it came out. It was a therapeutic experience to get all of that down on paper and have people know the full story instead of just the 10-minute version that was usually reported on in interviews.

Your style of play uses power, athleticism and is offensively aggressive. Why does your style of play cause problems for other tennis players?

I try to attack them and make them come up with shots that are uncomfortable for them. It also helps that I can use my quickness to play defense or offense against guys.

Your style of play has also resulted in much success on the hard court, but have you ever considered changing your style for grass courts?

I changed my style of play for different surfaces when I was young, but I discovered that there is a reason that I play the way I do. It's because I excel at that and not as much as other ways of playing, so when I tried to adjust my game plan, I had minimal success. I discovered that the best plan is to just play my game with slight alterations and I will feel more comfortable and have more success.

What was your reaction to watching Rafael Nadal defeat Roger Federer in such an epic match at Wimbledon?

The Nadal/Federer final of Wimbledon was probably the highest level of tennis I've ever seen. It was just incredible to see each one of them raise their level of play when it was most crucial. It was a match that really didn't deserve to have a loser.

I read you enjoy listening to music before you play. Which artists and style of music do you prefer?

Nowadays before I play, I listen to much more relaxing music as opposed to when I was young. I felt like I needed stuff to really get me pumped up. Now it's laid back like Dave Matthews, Gavin DeGraw, Jack Johnson or John Mayer.

When you return to your home in Saddlebrook, what do you like to do with your down time?

I love to play golf and relax with my friends. On the road, I miss eating at Firehouse Subs just about every day.

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