Blake: Best Is Yet To Come For Young Americans

James Blake By Richard Pagliaro
02/26/2002

James Blake had just evened the Kroger St. Jude final against Davis Cup teammate Andy Roddick at one set apiece and was headed for his court-side seat when the crowd at the Memphis Racquet Club made a stand.

The standing ovatation resulted in a resounding roar that reverberated throughout the club and served as a show of respect and appreciation for the young American pair. The fans weren't the only ones applauding. Throughout the match, both Blake and Roddick applauded each other for spectacular shots. And after the 19-year-old Roddick captured his fourth career title with a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory, the performance of both players made it clear American tennis fans will have reason to cheer a pair of players with promising futures.

"I think part of the reason Andy and I were applauding each other is because we know it's another step forward for American tennis," Blake said. "We're happy to see it. I don't know how that last generation came up together - Sampras and Agassi and Chang and Martin. I don't know how well they got along. But this group, it feels like we're having a great time, and I hope it continues for 10 years down the road."

It was the first all-American final in Memphis since Todd Martin defeated Brad Gilbert in 1994 and marked the first all-Americanfinal since 1995 that did not include Pete Sampras or Andre Agassi.
"I hope those rumors of American tennis dying are starting to quiet down a little bit more," said Blake after his first ATP final. "Andy can bear that load on his own, I think. But with me improving, and all of us improving, seeing how well he's done, I think it's helping out the whole rest of the depth of American tennis."

The 13th-ranked Roddick has emerged as one of the top young talents in tennis. A U.S. Open quarterfinalist, who suffered a five-set setback to eventual champion Lleyton Hewitt at Flushing Meadows last September, Roddick has earned a reputation as the young American most likely to breakthrough to win a major title.

The 22-year-old Blake, a Yonkers, N.Y. native who learned to play tennis at the Harlem Tennis Center, has made major strides in the past year as well.

"James has improved night and day, especially since the U.S. Open." Roddick said. "James and I aren't the only ones, either,"
Mardy Fish, Taylor Dent and Robby Ginepri have each earned reputation as exciting young American players. Fish teammed with

Blake to win the doubles match for the U.S. Davis Cup team in its 5-0 sweep of the Slovak Republic in Oklahoma City earlier this month. The victory snapped a streak of five straight American losses in Davis Cup doubles. Dent, whose serve routinely rocks the radar gun in excess of 130 miles per hour, is a serve-and-volleyer who is still learning to control his immense power.

The new generation of American players is unified by a desire to succeed and a passion for playing Davis Cup. Past American champions from Jimmy Connors to Sampras to Agassi to Chang each declined to play Davis Cup at various times in their career.

But the new breed welcomes the opportunity to try to claim the Cup for the United States.
"The best thing about this young group of guys is that we're working hard to get better," Blake said, "But we're also all very committed to Davis Cup. Anytime I'm asked and healthy, I'll be there ready to play, as prepared as I possibly can be. It's something that would be an unbelievable experience to kind of grow up and go through the ranks with these guys and maybe get a Davis Cup crown with them."