James Blake (tennis) facts for kids
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| Country (sports) |  United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Westport, Connecticut, US |
| Born | December 28, 1979 Yonkers, New York, US |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Turned pro | 1999 |
| Retired | August 29, 2013 (singles) June 2023–present (doubles) |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Brian Barker (1995–2009) Kelly Jones (2009–2011) |
| Prize money | US$ 7,981,882 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 366–256 (58.84%) (at ATP Tour-level, Grand Slam-level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 10 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (November 20, 2006) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2008) |
| French Open | 3R (2006) |
| Wimbledon | 3R (2006, 2007) |
| US Open | QF (2005, 2006) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | F (2006) |
| Olympic Games | SF – 4th (2008) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 132–121 (52.17%) (at ATP Tour-level, Grand Slam-level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 7 |
| Highest ranking | No. 31 (March 31, 2003) |
| Current ranking | No. 2081 (June 26, 2023) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2005) |
| French Open | 2R (2002) |
| Wimbledon | SF (2009) |
| US Open | 2R (2000, 2001) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (2007) |
| Hopman Cup | W (2003, 2004) |
James Riley Blake, born on December 28, 1979, is a former professional tennis player from the United States. He won 10 singles titles and 7 doubles titles on the ATP Tour. He reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 4.
Some of his biggest achievements include reaching the final of the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup. He also made it to the semifinals of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. During that Olympics, he famously beat the world No. 1 player, Roger Federer. Blake also reached the quarterfinals at the 2008 Australian Open and the 2005 and 2006 US Opens. He won the Hopman Cup twice, in 2003 and 2004. He was also a key player for the United States team that won the 2007 Davis Cup.
In 2004, James Blake faced a tough year. He broke a bone in his neck during training. He also lost his father to cancer and developed shingles, which affected his face and vision. Despite these challenges, he made a full recovery. In 2005, he received the Comeback Player of the Year award for his amazing return to tennis. Later, in 2008, he was named the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year for his good deeds.
Blake wrote a book about his comeback called Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life. It was released in 2007 and became a best-seller. He officially retired from professional singles tennis at the 2013 US Open. However, he returned to play doubles in 2023.
Early Life and School Days
James Blake was born in Yonkers, New York. His father, Thomas Reynolds Blake, was African American, and his mother, Betty, was British. He has a brother, Thomas, who also played professional tennis. He also has three older half-brothers and a half-sister.
James started playing tennis at age five with his older brother. When he was 13, doctors found he had severe scoliosis, a curve in his spine. For five years, he had to wear a back brace for 18 hours a day. Luckily, he didn't have to wear it while playing tennis.
His family moved to Fairfield, Connecticut, because of his father's job. James went to Fairfield High School, where he was friends with future musician John Mayer. He was inspired to play tennis after hearing his hero, Arthur Ashe, speak. Brian Barker was his first and long-time coach. James went to Harvard University but left after his second year to become a professional tennis player. In 2018, he was honored by being chosen for the ITA Collegiate Hall of Fame.
Tennis Career Highlights
Starting His Professional Journey
2001: First Steps in Big Matches
At 21, James Blake played his first Davis Cup match in 2001. He was the third African-American player to represent the U.S. in the Davis Cup. Even though he was ranked 120th, he played well at the Cincinnati Masters. He even pushed the future champion, Lleyton Hewitt, to a tough five-set match at the US Open.
2002: Winning His First Titles
In 2002, Blake won a smaller tournament in Hawaii. He then beat a top-10 player, Tommy Haas, in Memphis. In August, he won his first ATP Tour title in doubles at Cincinnati with Todd Martin. This was a special win, as he was the first African-American man to win any title there in over 100 years. The next week, he won his first singles title in Washington, D.C., beating Andre Agassi and Paradorn Srichaphan.
2003: Steady Progress
In 2003, Blake continued to do well. He reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and the finals at Long Island. He also played against Roger Federer at the US Open.
2004: A Year of Challenges
The year 2004 was very difficult for James. He broke a bone in his neck during practice. Soon after, his father passed away from cancer. At the same time, he got shingles, which temporarily made half of his face unable to move and blurred his vision. Despite these huge challenges, he recovered fully.
Rising to the Top (2005–2008)
2005: The Big Comeback
After his injuries and personal struggles, Blake's ranking dropped in early 2005. He decided to play in smaller tournaments to get his confidence back. He won two of these events. He then made it to the final in Washington, D.C. He also won the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament in New Haven, Connecticut.
At the US Open, he surprised everyone by beating No. 2 Rafael Nadal. He then played an unforgettable match against Andre Agassi in the quarterfinals. It was a long, exciting match that Agassi eventually won. Later that year, Blake won his third ATP tour title in Stockholm. He finished 2005 ranked 22nd in the world.
2006: Reaching World No. 4
The year 2006 was incredible for James Blake. He won titles in Sydney and Las Vegas. At Indian Wells, he reached his first major final, beating Rafael Nadal along the way. By reaching this final, he became the first African-American man since Arthur Ashe to enter the world's top 10.
He continued to win, taking titles in Indianapolis, Bangkok, and Stockholm. For the first time, he qualified for the Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai, where only the top players compete. He reached the final there, but lost to Roger Federer. James Blake finished 2006 as the highest-ranked American player and at a career-high of World Number 4.
2007: Davis Cup Champion
In 2007, Blake won the Sydney International again. He reached another major final at Cincinnati, but again lost to Roger Federer. He also won the singles title at New Haven. A big moment for him was winning his first five-set match at the US Open. In September, Blake and the U.S. Davis Cup team reached the finals against Russia. Blake won his match, helping the U.S. team secure the 2007 Davis Cup victory.
2008: Olympic Success
At the Australian Open, Blake had his best performance, reaching the quarterfinals. He then played in the Beijing Olympics. In the quarterfinals, he achieved one of the biggest wins of his career, beating world No. 1 Roger Federer. He then played in the semifinals but lost a very close match. He finished fourth after losing the bronze medal match.
Later Career and Retirement
2009: More Finals and Changes
In 2009, Blake continued to play well, reaching the fourth round of the Australian Open. He also made it to his first clay-court final in Europe at the 2009 Estoril Open. He reached the final at the Aegon Championships in London but lost to Andy Murray. At Wimbledon, he and his partner Mardy Fish reached the doubles semifinals. After the 2009 US Open, Blake changed coaches.
2010: Dealing with Injuries
In 2010, Blake faced more challenges with a knee injury. He missed the clay court season. He played at Wimbledon but lost in the first round. He later said he might consider retiring if his knee problems continued. Despite this, he played the US Summer hard court season and reached the third round of the 2010 US Open. He finished the year outside the top 100 for the first time in a decade.
2011–2013: Saying Goodbye to Singles
From 2011 to 2013, Blake's ranking stayed outside the top 50 due to ongoing injuries and a dip in form. He announced his retirement from singles tennis at the 2013 US Open in August 2013. In 2019, he was inducted into the Collegiate Hall of Fame.
2023: A Return to Doubles
After nearly 10 years away from the professional tour, James Blake returned in May 2023. He played in a doubles event in Rancho Santa Fe using a special entry.
How James Blake Played Tennis
James Blake was known for his attacking style of play. He had one of the most powerful forehands in tennis. He was also very fast on his feet. His game was exciting to watch, with many winning shots. Sometimes, this style also led to more mistakes, making his matches unpredictable.
Equipment and Sponsors
Blake used different tennis racquets throughout his career, including ones from Prince, Dunlop, Wilson, and Donnay. His clothing sponsor was Fila, and he even had his own clothing line named after his father, Thomas Reynolds Collection. He also had a sponsorship deal with Evian water.
Personal Life
James Blake married publicist Emily Snider in 2012. They have two daughters and live in Solana Beach.
He enjoys playing golf and basketball and is a fan of the New York Mets baseball team. He appeared on a TV show called Celebrity Poker Showdown. He is good friends with singer/songwriter John Mayer. Blake has also used his platform to help others.
Advocacy for Fairness
In 2015, James Blake was involved in an incident with a police officer in New York City. He was mistakenly identified as a suspect and was taken to the ground and handcuffed. The police commissioner later apologized for the mistake. This experience led Blake to speak out more about fairness and how people are treated. He met with city leaders to discuss these issues. He also wrote a book, Ways of Grace: Stories of Activism, Adversity, and How Sports Can Bring Us Together, which talks about the incident and his journey into activism. A lawsuit against him related to the incident was dismissed by a judge in 2018.
Helping Others
In 2008, James Blake started The James Blake Foundation. This foundation helps fund important scientific research to find better treatments for patients. Since 2005, he has hosted a charity tennis and music event called Anthem Live! to raise money for cancer research. In 2008, he created the Thomas Blake Sr. Memorial Research Fund to support cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. This fund honors his father, who passed away from stomach cancer. His sponsors, Nike and Fila, even made special T-shirts to support his charity work.
Images for kids
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James Blake playing tennis.
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Blake in 2009
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Blake at the 2009 French Open.
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Blake playing in Wimbledon's Invitational Doubles tournament in 2023.
See also
In Spanish: James Blake para niños
