Blake Believed in Himself and His Tennis
Sometimes we forget how tough it can be to deal with the off-court challenges during a major tennis tournament or event. James Blake, who came through and won the crucial second rubber during the recent 2007 Davis Cup Finals, faced just such pressures in his matches. After his big win over Mikhail Youzhny, Blake commented about how he had been asked all week whether he had the mental strength to win such an
important match under the pressure of Davis Cup. Blake faced that challenge head-on and came through victorious. Many called his win “life-changing,” and it wasn’t an easy victory. The match was a few points away from going into a fifth set and that could have been very difficult given Blake’s five-set record. The bottom line is that James came through and won when it really counted, with the spotlight directly on him and all his doubters scattered across the 12,000 screaming fans in the Portland arena. The real challenge for James Blake now lies ahead. Blake finished 2006 in the top ten, but ends 2007 ranked 13th. Clearly, Blake’s game is built around confidence in his forehand, first serve, etc. In 2008, James faces the task of proving to everyone that he really DOES belong back in the top ten. If Blake believes enough in himself, he will find the confidence to regain his top ten ranking.
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