An Interview With: James Blake

1/29/03 7:50 PM

Thanks to the USTA and ASAP Sports for providing this.


Davis Cup Transcript, January 29, 2003

RANDY WALKER: Thank you all for joining us today. On the phone with us is James Blake, who yesterday was named to the U.S. Davis Cup team that will face Croatia in the 2003 Davis Cup by BNP Paribas first round, Feb. 7-9 in Zagreb, Croatia. James Blake is one of three African American men to represent the men in Davis Cup play, joining Mal Washington and Arthur Ashe who passed away ten years ago on February 6, 1993.
Blake was also recently named the Sexiest Athlete by People Magazine for 2002. Following Davis Cup, Blake will be participating in ATP events in San Jose, California; Memphis, Tenn., Scottsdale, Arizona; Indian Wells, California and Key Biscayne, Florida.

Q. Well, with Andy Roddick not playing this year, it looks like you are going to be the most experienced guy on the Davis Cup team. How does it feel to be put in that position?
JAMES BLAKE: It's a little weird since I definitely feel like I'm still the one learning. Just last year, I was the brand new kid and the rookie on the team and now I'm considered the veteran. I'm the oldest member of the team; it's going to seem a little strange.
But I definitely feel like I'm a pretty quick learner, so hopefully I learned all my lessons and I can pass on what I have learned to the other guys. Mardy have I played doubles together in one Davis Cup, so he's at least been there as well. The other guys are hopefully going to learn, as well. We are very, very fortunate to have Patrick McEnroe and Jim to help us out and I'm sure they will do their job.

Q. Without Andy there, how do you feel about your chances against Croatia?
JAMES BLAKE: I feel like we have a good chance. We are a young team and we are also pretty talented. I think we have a good chance. Mardy has been playing great singles leading up to this. Taylor plays very, very good singles especially indoors if it's a really fast surface. His serve is one of the fastest in the game. I feel comfortable putting him out there in singles if he's healthy. And doubles, Mardy and I have had success in Davis Cups. We have a good chance. We're not really sure the situation with Goran, how he's going to be, but I think we'll do just fine. A little tougher without Andy, but that will make it fun.

Q. I just wanted to know in the anniversary of Ashe's death, what his legacy has left personally for you? And did you ever meet him when he was still living, and if so, could you comment briefly on that exchange?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, his legacy, I think to the extent even more than just the obvious, like with myself being an African American tennis player, I think he's obviously been a role model to me, but I think he could be a role model to just about anyone. His legacy is the fact that everyone who speaks of him, everyone who met him talks about the fact that he was a great person, a great humanitarian, social activist. He did whatever he could to make situations -- situations for other people better. He used everything positive that came into his life to help others.
And even when he was stricken with a deadly disease, he used that to help others who were in a even more unfortunate situation, instead of saying "why me" and taking a lot sympathy. He used that to help others, which is something I think everyone could learn from and probably why everyone speaks volumes about how great of a person he was and will always be remembered as.
I didn't really meet him. I was very, very young at one point when he did speak at the Harlem Junior Tennis Program, but I don't remember that and I didn't learn enough about him till I got older. Actually probably more around the time of his death I was more awakened to the type of person that he was and I started really studying up on him and learning a lot more about him.
I'm very saddened by the fact that it took that to get me to really learn so much about him. And thanks to my father who was also inspired by him, I learned a lot about him and every little bit I've learned makes me more impressed with the type of person that he was.

Q. Do you think that the doors that have opened for you were that much more easier from the work that Ashe did?
JAMES BLAKE: Absolutely. I think being African American, I owe him a great debt of gratitude for being able to deal with the pressures and situations. What I go through now and what anyone goes through is much easier thanks to what he did. It took a great man and a great athlete like him to do that, and we are so fortunate today to have had him as that role model, as that person to do that, to really break the color barrier in tennis and be such a great champion; and to be so well respected as a sportsman to where people could really add no disparaging remarks about him with any valid basis, with any evidence behind it.
So that's very fortunate for us and I'm very thankful that he was such a great person to do that.

Q. Do you think Ashe would be proud of the strides made by the African American players of yourself and obviously the Williams sisters?
JAMES BLAKE: I'd like to think so. Like I said, I didn't meet him when he was still around, but obviously he wanted to make things better for us and I think he'd be proud of knowing how much we've helped in the communities and the fact that we do care about that. I've seen so much effects by the Williams sisters, just being an observer and a fan before I came on Tour, just to see so many young girls that idolize the Williams sisters, especially since there are not as many female sports that are publicized as they are in the mens.
So the Williams sisters become so prominent to all young girls that want to be involved in sports. They have made such a great differences, and such a great positive difference, I think that's something Arthur would be proud of.
Now, if I could ever have that kind of effect on young males, to get them watching tennis and involved in tennis and just doing something constructive, as opposed to just being out on the street kind of getting into trouble, that's my main goal. And I also try to do that with thinking of Arthur Ashe and putting out the best possible sportsmanship while I'm out on the court and showing kids it can be done the right way. And also, following in his footsteps, showing kids that it's healthy to be well-rounded. Arthur went to college, went to UCLA and had other interests in his life, which he obviously showed with his political career and after tennis doing, a lot of other socially-active things. I think that's something I think he would be proud of.

Q. February coming up is Black History Month. Will you be involved in any events promoting the month and the sport of tennis?
JAMES BLAKE: I haven't really been told that I have been asked to be invited to any type of events. There's an auction in the Harlem Junior Tennis Program that I've donated a lot of merchandise to. And IMG has also helped in donating a lot of things and that's hopefully going to help out. That's the biggest program I'm involved with Harlem Junior Tennis Program, to help them out, and that's where I learned how to play tennis. It's an armory and they support kids playing tennis and as well as getting fed off the street. It's a totally volunteer basis. They just have to bring their report card in and show they are doing well in school and they are allowed to play there.
Other than that, I'm going to be busy traveling to Croatia, San Jose, Memphis and Scottsdale all in February. Unfortunately, I won't be available for personal appearances probably at any events like that.

Q. I remember talking to your dad about the influence that Ashe had on him and I remember that it was something about being in the service. Can you take us back to that and sort of flush that story out?
JAMES BLAKE: Sure. He was in the service.

Q. The Army?
JAMES BLAKE: I believe he was in the Air Force. He had a good friend -- my father was more into basketball as a kid as I'm sure most people were that grew up in New York, probably watching the Knicks and stuff. His friend in the service was a tennis player and my dad probably didn't think too much of tennis at the time as most African Americans probably didn't, and realized he saw someone out there playing tennis and making a big splash on the scene.
He made a deal with his friend that he wanted to learn tennis so. As soon as they got out, he had his friend teach him tennis and he played a lot of basketball with him and showed him. He claims that he was really good -- I don't really believe him, but he said he helped him. And since he was so good at basketball, so they kind of made a little trade. And my dad's -- I haven't seen him pick up a basketball too often since then, but I have seen him play a whole lot of tennis.
It's really helped him a whole lot. He loves playing. That's probably how he met my mom, so I should be pretty thankful for that, too.
He's had a great time. He played with my mom all the time. He used to hit with Thomas and I all the time when we were growing up. It's pretty fortunate that Arthur Ashe inspired people like my dad and obviously indirectly, and then directly inspired me.

Q. Have you thought of the possibility that Ashe had not been there as an example, you would not be playing tennis?
JAMES BLAKE: Yeah, I mean, I've always also even further thought if Ashe wasn't there, I might not be around, period, because that's how my dad met my mom. So you guess I have a whole lot to thank Arthur for.
Yeah, that definitely does make sense, because he inspired a whole generation of tennis players. I feel like he also inspired somebody like Mal Washington. If it wasn't for Washington growing up, there's another possibility I would not have been excited about tennis. But I'm very inspired by the fact that he inspired my dad and Mal Washington; and now seeing that there's a next generation, kind of looking around that might be me right now as the African American in tennis, and to think that maybe there's some kids out there or someone who never thought about tennis now might be thinking about tennis because they see me playing it.
It's definitely something I take seriously and that's why I want to put forth the best role model -- be the best role model that I can and show people that it's a lot of fun and it's a lot of hard work and it's what I love doing.

Q. You talked about social obligations of pro athletes. Tiger Woods clearly stepped away from that opportunity with the flap around Augusta. What was your reaction to that?
JAMES BLAKE: You know, I can't really speak necessarily for other people. I don't know exactly what Tiger Woods' thoughts were on the situation. I would never criticize him for anything without knowing the whole story.
If I'm ever asked a question and whether or not it has some ramification, if I've thought about it and made a solid opinion, I'd be willing to voice it. I'm not sure if he did. I feel like he was given quite a bit of time, so maybe he could have come up with an opinion, but it's also his job to play golf at that tournament, so I can understand. I'm probably not going to criticize the US Open because that's my favorite tournament in the world to play at and I always want to play at.
As far as Augusta goes, I've heard a lot about it. I've heard the policies from both sides. I feel like it's an issue that's pretty serious and it would help I think if Tiger Woods weighed in on it, but I guess he claims it's not his job. I would like to see people taking their job a little further, as opposed to just playing golf or just playing basketball or football or whatever they are playing.

Q. You had your best Grand Slam performance at the Australian and kind of a disappointing defeat to end it, but how do you assess your performance and what you can you take to Davis Cup?
JAMES BLAKE: It's a step in the right direction and getting better. Fourth round is definitely better than I had done. But I definitely felt like I could have gone further, and that's something a positive I take from it because I don't feel like it was that awkward being in the second week of a Grand Slam. And I still feel like I have better tennis in me and I can do even better than that, which is encouraging. Taking that into Davis Cup, it makes me feel like now that I'm thrust in the situation of being No. 1 player on the team. It feels like it's something that I can deal with; that is isn't such a shock to my system or happened out of nowhere. I feel like I'm up to a certain level on Tour and I feel like I'm hopefully going to get even further.
So I'm excited about that and that's just going to give me more confidence going into Davis Cup. That's what's very important. Confidence is such a big deal in tennis in general, especially in Davis Cup when you're going to have -- while you're away, you're going to have however many fans cheering against you and being pretty vocal detractors from you, that you need to have the confidence in your game and not worry about the fans.

Q. Yesterday Patrick McEnroe said he felt with you were a Top-10 potential player, and I know you are modest, I've never heard you make a ranking statement, but in your heart, do you feel you're a Top-10 talent, and what would it take to get there?
JAMES BLAKE: You've probably never heard me make a ranked statement because I've never really set those kind of goals. I feel like rankings are somewhat an unfair assessment of how you're doing. I want to improve and just get better and better. You can have some bad luck and be ranked a little lower; and you can have some good luck, fortunate draws, happen to be playing well at the right times and you could be ranked higher than you really deserve to be. So I don't worry really too much about that.
As far as what it will take to get to the Top 10, I think it's just going to take more hard work. The experience is the biggest thing that I've been gaining over the last two years and made the biggest difference in my tennis. I'm learning that every match I play, especially yesterday in the Open to get further than I ever have and be in those situations, I think that makes the biggest difference in my game.
I can't really say it's one specific shot or one thing on the court that's going to make the difference to get me from 24 to Top 10, but I'm just going it keep learning and I definitely feel like I'm still learning every time I step on the court. So I don't feel like I've plateaued. I feel like I'm going to keep betting better and better.

Q. Your record in Davis Cup is tremendous. What is it about Davis Cup that brings that out in you?
JAMES BLAKE: I love Davis Cup. I love the atmosphere of having a biased crowd, whether they are for you or against you it. It makes it more of a sporting event that I've seen in person and on TV. You have a home team and ab away team. You have a biased crowd that's going to be cheering for you or against you. That to me is exciting, because it makes it so no matter what the fans are into it, whether or not the tennis is at the top level, which in Davis Cup is generally is.
It's just a different atmosphere that's very exciting to me, having that kind of a crowd; having a coach on the court I think always helps. I think that's one thing I would like to see changed in tennis in general, I think coaches should be allowed on the court. It's the only sport really, I think in the world, that you can't -- you're out there totally by yourself where you don't have someone helping you at certain points. Even in golf you have a caddy; in boxing you can sit down in between rounds and have your coach or somebody talking to you. I think that's great and in Davis Cup. It makes it for a lot of fun.
I don't know, it's just being a part of a team has always excited me as well. I loved playing college tennis. It's just that you have a little more of a sense of a reason and you're always fighting your hardest because you know you've got a team that's worked just as hard as you to get into that situation and you never want to let down your team and you always want to do your best for the team.
RANDY WALKER: James' Davis Cup record is 7-1 which includes a 3-0 record in doubles. He was a member of the Davis Cup team in 2001, 2002, and his current ATP entry system ranking is No. 24, which is a career high.

Q. Could you talk about how the effect your finish in Memphis had on building momentum for the year?
JAMES BLAKE: That was a big momentum-builder for me. Thanks to Tom Buford runs a great tournament there. Memphis is a lot of fun.
Coming into that time I wasn't really sure -- with my ranking, I was not sure I would get into all of the big events. I definitely was not into all of the Super 9s because only the Top-50 in the worlds get into that. To go there and beat some of the top players -- I also had a win over a top player like Tommy Haas, who at the time I believe was Top 5 in the world. So to beat a player like that and just play that level of tennis, it had a big effect on me.
That tournament just had a ton of ups for me: Beating a player like Michael Chang who is a legend; and then beating Taylor Dent after being down a set and a break; that was a big high for me to show that I was mentally strong and able to fight through a bad start.
And then to beat a player like Tommy Haas was huge; and Jan-Michael Gambill, someone who I look up to as another American who I had seen play for a while, that was a big deal.
Actually that final with Andy, though that was somewhat of a low, we played great tennis. And looking back on that match, I feel it was one of the better matches played by me and him all year. So I'm definitely not that disappointed in that, and I had a great time in Memphis. So it was a big high for me that. Kind of solidified the fact that I was going to be a top level player and I was going to be on the ATP Tour all year.

Q. Your tournament win later in the year, how did that compare?
JAMES BLAKE: That was also incredibly sweet. It was such an up, such a high to beat Andre Agassi, it was just amazing. He's such an idol, a legend, as he proved last week in Australia, and then to go ahead and win it was amazing. To do it in America with my family there in the stands, my agent, my buddies, everyone was there to watch; and just to kind of prove that I could win on Tour. I had two finals, and like I said, I can be extremely disappointed with the final, but it's just a nice feeling to go through a week out without losing.

Q. I know that you and Andy have stepped to the forefront of that next wave of American players. What can you tell me about that next group and their potential?
JAMES BLAKE: I think they have a lot of potential. Taylor has an enormous serve. He's really improved his game the last year or two just in learning kind of how to use his assets and play smart tennis, which is the biggest difference I think in the last few years with him. He's always had the talent. It's just now he's putting it all together into kind of a well-rounded game. That's shown with his ranking improving so much.
And then Mardy Fish, he's one of my best friends. He's a great guy, and also has had the talent and just has come down to a little bit of experience that he's gotten over the last year or two; and he's doing everything more professionally now. He's got pretty good confidence and it's great to see because he's a very talented player and I practice with him pretty much all the time back at Saddlebrook. I definitely think he's got a whole lot of talent to move to the forefront. I think the fans are going to get a kick out of him when he does move to the forefront because he's a great guy with a great personality.
Bobby just won the challenger last week in Hawaii. We are trying to recruit him to come down to come down to Tampa and train at Saddlebrook, as well. He's got a lot of talent, great hand/eye coordination. Great returns; he steps in and he'll make you look like a filly at times by taking your serves so early. It's fun to watch, not always so much fun to play against when he's doing that, but he's got a lot of talent.

Q. Do you have any concern about your safety in going to Croatia at a time of unrest in the world?
JAMES BLAKE: I really don't worry that much about that. I'm not one to really get scared on flights. I've always come into the situation with an attitude about -- I never really think about it. I don't want to waste time worrying. I don't like doing that. I feel like if something is going to happen, it's going to happen, and generally I can't control that. That's up to the security guards and all of the people I do trust. As long as I have people around me that I trust, I will feel safe and I don't worry about it. We have a great security team with us with the U.S. Davis Cup, which I always thought was pretty funny when I was 17 years old as a practice partner that they had security around me. But in Croatia, it may be a little more serious and there may be a reason for it, but I don't worry about that at all. Like I said, I trust the people around me, so I'm not going to try to -- I'm not going to waste time worrying, really.

Q. How much do you relish the off-the-court attention that you've generated?
JAMES BLAKE: I wouldn't say "relish." I think it's fun. I think it's funny. What I don't relish is all the jokes in the locker room that get passed around like by my good buddies Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick and all of the guys who make fun of me for the off-court attention that I get. It's something that I never expect and never really took it seriously, so it's just funny to me. There's nothing much I can do about it otherwise. Just take it in stride and keep having some fun and laugh at any other opportunities I do get.
It's just something that I feel like I'm hopefully someone that can handle it, take the jokes guys are giving me with a smile.

Q. Being that you're kind of a marketer's dream right now, does that take away from your tennis, do you have to say no a lot?
JAMES BLAKE: No. It's never taken away from my tennis. If it interferes with my tennis it's not going to get done. Sometimes that means I can't have as much fun doing a show or a photo shoot or something that I would like to do that would be fun.
But I've always realized that the only reason I'm doing these things I think is because of my tennis because that's the thing that's put me into the public spotlight. As a few people said, I think the more matches you win, the better looking you get and the more people who are going to be around you. So I worry about the tennis first. It's never, ever taken away from the tennis so I don't let that happen.
I have had to say no a little more now, and it's funny how quickly that's changed from when a year and a half ago, anytime something would be offered to me, it was generally, "Yeah, no problem, I'd love to do that. It would be a lot of fun."
Now, unfortunately, just due to the fact that I'm playing more tournaments, I'm hopefully going deeper in draws now and I don't have the same amount of time and too many times, it's like, "Well, can we fit it in here, can we fit it in here." And unfortunately there are times where you just have to say no and that's the business that we are in.

Q. The media attention has been intense on the Williams sisters ever since they arrived an Tour, and unfortunately some of the back-biting and jealousy, as well. Have you ever thought that if they were not present on Tour, some of that media glare might have been transferred on to you since you came on after they have come? How do you feel about developing your game with not as much glare and spotlight on you?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, I'm very lucky that I haven't had a lot of glare. I think Andy Roddick took more of it off me. For Americans, we've heard for years: "Who is going to follow-up Sampras and Agassi? Who is going to be the next generation."
So when Andy came out and did so well so quickly, it made it -- it kind of took all of the glare off of any of the other young Americans, and he did it on his own for a while, which is amazing.
Now I feel like we are kind of helping him, take a little glare off of him and putting it on ourselves. We are really excited to all do it together now.
As far as the Williams sisters, I don't feel like a lot of the attention given to them would have been put on me. Maybe it would have, but I feel like it's kind of different realms because they are in female tennis, they are sisters. It's kind of a different aspect.

Q. I wonder how you are emulating Arthur Ashe's success on the court, and you have been attracted to what he's done off the court, what have you done at this early stage in your career that would suggest that you are emulating Arthur Ashe in that fashion? I don't know if you've been involved in any protests or you're involved in any organizations like Athletes United for Peace or anything like that?
JAMES BLAKE: Well, unfortunately, I haven't had as much time, really. I've just kind of come on to the scene in the last year or so where I thought I might possibly have any effect on the world or on other fans or anything like that. I haven't had that much time. But over time, hopefully I'll have more of an opportunity.
So far, the program I've been the most supportive of is the Harlem Junior Tennis Program, which is kind of where I learned how to play tennis. And it's inner city, making tennis available to kids, to a grass roots types of audience. Also I've donated money to a program started or helped by Arthur Ashe, a parks program, a similar situation, but in Miami, something that Arthur started. It's in connection with the NASDAQ 100 Open that I've been involved in.
Unfortunately, I don't have as much time with just starting out my career. I have to play a whole lot of tournaments and my schedule is a little hectic.

Q. Does that make it any more mind-boggling to you that Arthur Ashe was able to do so many of these things and still be a top-notch athlete?
JAMES BLAKE: It is amazing. You know, the climates were totally different then. He had so many issues; it was amazing that he was able to help so much on many different issues is incredible, as well as at the same time being a top-notch athletes. I feel like that's changed a little bit with the boom in the economy and the boom in sports contracts and things like that. The time constraints have become a little tougher. But I feel like we do still have an opportunity, and with all the time we've been afforded, I feel like we've been given a great opportunity to help out others, as well.
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