Closest current equivalent to James Blake?

[Shaolin]

Delpo is just like Blake, if Blake were 10x better.

Yes Delpo is 100x better. I thought it went without saying.

 

[Pmasterfunk]

Maybe not a great but being a former world number 4 is surely a great accomplishment?

Wachoo talkin' bout, anyone with less than 12 slams is a mug. Sampras barely passes the smell test.

Yes Delpo is 100x better. I thought it went without saying.

Blake was probably faster, but if hitting hard didn't work, he just tried hitting even harder. I find it hard to compare to DelPo, who obviously has the power, but his game isn't just hitting as hard as he can all the time off both wings. Mind you, I like Blake, but when things weren't working for him it was painful to watch.

 

[BringBackSV]

Wachoo talkin' bout, anyone with less than 12 slams is a mug. Sampras barely passes the smell test.


Blake was probably faster, but if hitting hard didn't work, he just tried hitting even harder. I find it hard to compare to DelPo, who obviously has the power, but his game isn't just hitting as hard as he can all the time off both wings. Mind you, I like Blake, but when things weren't working for him it was painful to watch.

Blake was trash.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Blake was trash.

I'd expand that. Anyone who Federer has beaten to win slams is trash. It's obvious. Federer bad. So Blake bad.

 

[Shaolin]

Blake was trash.

Blake is an awesome player and an even better person.

He wouldn't stoop to calling you trash even though he could triple bagel you with any racquet or random object laying around the house.

 

[Spanglish72]

Ostapenko.

Blast every shot as hard as possible and pray it goes in.

 

[Spanglish72]

Kyrgios is nowhere near as athletic, and doesn't have a single-handedBH but similar reckless style

Kyrgios is just as athletic as Blake, if not more.

 

[Start da Game]

Nadal definitely bothered Blake, and he ended up with a winning record over Blake as well. I think the point you are trying to make is that Blake seemed to deal with Nadal easier than Federer on a hard court, and that largely has to do with Blake’s attacking style of play. Blake was a more aggressive returner than Federer, and Nadal (outside of 2010 and 2019 USO) never really had great serve. Blake could attack Nadal’s serve off the backhand in a way that Federer could not. Spin didn’t really bother Blake as much because he had a tendency to flatten out every shot regardless of spin (part of his high risk playing style). He also had more of a tendency to use his speed (which could rival Nadal) to dictate play in a way that Federer rarely did. Federer likes to use variety, employ surprise tactics, and out rally other players, and he just can’t do that with Nadal. Nadal’s speed combined with his heavy ball makes it more and more difficult for Federer to create openings or take control of the rally. Blake on the other hand just attacks every shot of Nadal’s (beginning with the serve), and he goes for more winners than Federer which makes a player like Nadal uncomfortable because he can never really settle in and control the rally the way he’s used to.

explained beautifully how blake was successful against rafa while fed wasn’t at the same time on hardcourts.......fed just never had the game to beat rafa.......

 

[captainbryce]

explained beautifully how blake was successful against rafa while fed wasn’t at the same time on hardcourts.......fed just never had the game to beat rafa.......

I wouldn’t go that far. Fed has beaten Nadal before (on every surface). In fact, he’s beaten Nadal 6 of the last 7 times they’ve played. So clearly he has the game to do it, it’s just more difficult for him to do so employing his natural style of play.

 

[captainbryce]

What about Dominic Thiem?

Hard hitting ball basher with a 1hbh and no plan b?

 

[BringBackSV]

Blake is an awesome player and an even better person.

He wouldn't stoop to calling you trash even though he could triple bagel you with any racquet or random object laying around the house.

Wow, you are special bud.

 

[bjk]

Gojowycz

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

Kyrgios is just as athletic as Blake, if not more.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[BeatlesFan]

Blake was trash.

He was (and remains) utterly amazing.

 

[hipolymer]

He was (and remains) utterly amazing.

his head shape is Anunaki-tier

 

[MaxTennis]

Blake is an awesome player and an even better person.

He wouldn't stoop to calling you trash even though he could triple bagel you with any racquet or random object laying around the house.

Amen

 

[welcome2petrkordaland]

Delpo is the closest equivalent to Blake on tour currently.

JB hit an incredibly flat forehand, almost with side spin it was so flat.

Those saying Shapo hits like Blake are way off. Shapo hits a much much spinnier, loopier ball. He also bends his serve in much more, James just went for the flat bomb. Only similarity is that they both have a 1 hander.

The main common denominator I see between Shapo and Blake is their tactical approach ( at least thus far with the 21-year old Shapo). The OP sought to identify an modern day “equivalent” to the James Blake game and didn’t specify whether or not he meant stroke production or tactics. I happen to choose to compare the two guys based on the ladder; you, the former.

Like I mentioned in my post, Blake tactically refused to ever play any defense or grind until the twilight of his career. Shapo, similarly, has chosen the same purely offensive tactics and he is an unforced error machine like Blake was. I am hoping Useme can help him with the slice and the volley so this kid can reach his potential. If he ever approximates his full potential, look out.

 

[BringBackSV]

He was (and remains) utterly amazing.

Perhaps as a person but Fed fans need to stop reminiscing about the ghost of his mediocre career.

 

[alexio]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

3 slam quarter finals in 40 attempts? Hardly a great.

How relevant.