James Blake (tennis)
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| Country (sports) |
 United States |
|---|---|
| Residence | Westport, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Born |
December 28, 1979 Yonkers, New York |
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Turned pro | 1999 |
| Retired | August 29, 2013 (unofficially retired) |
| Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Coach(es) | Brian Barker (?–2009) Kelly Jones (2009–2011) |
| Prize money | $7,981,786 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 366–256 (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 (at ATP Tour-level, Grand Slam-level, and in Davis Cup) |
| Career titles | 7 |
| Highest ranking | No. 31 (March 31, 2003) |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (2005) |
| French Open | 2R (2002) |
| Wimbledon | SF (2009) |
| US Open | 2R (2000, 2001) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career record | 1–3 |
| Career titles | 0 |
| Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | 2R (2013) |
| US Open | 1R (2000, 2001) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (2007) |
| Hopman Cup | W (2003, 2004) |
James Riley Blake (born December 28, 1979) is an American retired professional tennis player. Blake is known for his speed and powerful, flat forehand. During his career, Blake had amassed 24 singles finals appearances (10–14 record), while his career-high singles ranking was World No. 4. His career highlights included reaching the final of the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup, the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open (2008) and US Open (2005, 2006), as well as being the former American No. 1. His two titles for the United States at the Hopman Cup are an event record. Blake was a key performer for the United States 2007 Davis Cup championship team, winning the opening point in the final against Russia.
In 2005, Blake was presented with the Comeback Player of the Year award for his remarkable return to the tour. Later, in 2008, Blake was awarded another honor by the ATP, where he was named the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year. On July 3, 2007, Blake's autobiography Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, which discussed his comeback after his unlucky 2004 season, was released and debuted at No. 22 on the New York Times Best Seller list. He co-wrote this book with Andrew Friedman.
Blake announced that he would retire from tennis after competing at the 2013 US Open, where he suffered a first round loss in five sets against Ivo Karlovic. Blake's career ended on August 29, 2013, after a 6–2 2–6 2–6 doubles loss in the 2013 US Open.
Blake was born in Yonkers, New York, to an African American father Thomas Reynolds Blake and a British mother Betty. He has a brother Thomas, who has also been a professional tennis player, and three older half-brothers: Jason, Christopher and Howard, and a half-sister Michelle.
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