Will James Blake ever win a "big" one?

[pirateofthecarribean]

I wonder if James Blake will ever be able to win a major title. I mean, he's 26 years old already. He doesn't have a lot of chances left. He plays great (2 consecutive quaterfinalist at US Open) after his bad injury. Just wonder if he can ever win a major? Remember, Amelie Mauresmo didn't win her first major title till she was 27 years old. So, do you think James Blake has a chance to win a major during the rest of his career? I think the chances are slim, because Roger Federer the "tennis machine" or "tennis artist", whatever you wanna call him, can hardly be beaten by anyone, and he's a year younger than James Blake.

 

[tennisfreak]

He has a great chance. But only at the US open.

 

[pirateofthecarribean]

He has a great chance. But only at the US open.

What about the upcoming Australian Open?

 

[dozu]

never say never but the chance is slim.

there was a window when guys like Hewitt and Roddick jockeying for #1 spot.. the window has closed.

all of these guys have a big gap between them and the #1 and #2... in a major, usually the best guy wins, especially the gap is this big.

 

[maverick66]

i cant see it happening his mental game isnt there. when he wins a five setter than maybe ill change my view of him. federer gave him oppurtunitys to take control of that match and blake couldnt do it. also if he starts missing a little he has nothing else to go to. federer can start changing strategies in the middle of a point thats what makes him so tough to play he can come at u however he wants.

 

[stormholloway]

Blake is too mentally unstable. You can just see it in him. He loses fight when he's down. He needs to take a page from Nadal's book. Nadal pumps his fist no matter how badly he's being beaten.

 

[Jack the Hack]

Of course it is possible since he is a top 10 player... he's no scrub!

However, he'll be 27 at the end of this year, and he has never gotten past the quarterfinals of a major and has never won a Masters Series event. Statistically speaking, that makes winning a "big one" highly unlikely.

I thought it was weird that McEnroe was gushing about him so much last night... even going so far as to predict an upset. At one point, Mac said "Blake has surpassed my expectations of where I thought he could get to by reaching #5 in the world, but I think that he might beat Roger tonight... the time is right for him." As we all know, that didn't happen!

 

[ACE of Hearts]

Blake's game is not very taxing, i think he can play when he gets more older.I will say that his mental approach is not a good one.

 

[Feña14]

It's possible but I doubt it. There are better players out there, maybe if Federer gets taken out early he has a chance but as people have said, his mental side isn't quite what it could be.

I also see his game as kind of 1 dimensional, if the forehand isn't working then he doesn't really have a plan B to fall back on or the ability to grind out matches against the top players by making them play bad.. something the likes of Federer and Nadal have, and Hewitt for that matter.

I don't think he can win one on his game alone so he will have to get lucky but hey it's not beyond him, if someone like Thomas Johansson can win one then why not Blake!?

 

[Watcher]

I would be very surprised if he ever won a grand slam event. All credit to the guy, he's one of sports' greatest cinderella stories, but I think that in the years to come, he'll always be looked back upon as an "also ran."

 

[West Coast Ace]

...he'll always be looked back upon as an "also ran."

That's a little harsh. He's a fine pro - but just isn't consistent enough to do it for seven 5-set matches. That separates him from the game's top players.

No. He will never win a major. He will: a) win some small to medium tournaments; b) make many millions of dollars; c) nail tons of hot chicks, probably eventually marrying a MAW - Model, Actress, Whatever.

 

[U-NO-ME]

I don't think Blake will ever win.


Maybe the USO or Aussie.

 

[Grimjack]

I don't think Blake will ever win.


Maybe the USO or Aussie.

If there's an AO or USO in the next couple years where Fed pulls out with an injury, the competition will be wide open, and Blake would have to be considered a contender. If Fed stays healthy, Blake has no shot in hell.

 

[West Coast Ace]

If there's an AO or USO in the next couple years where Fed pulls out with an injury, the competition will be wide open, and Blake would have to be considered a contender. If Fed stays healthy, Blake has no shot in hell.

You beat me to it. Might have to have a few other players decide not to make the trip to the AO too...

 

[U-NO-ME]

If there's an AO or USO in the next couple years where Fed pulls out with an injury, the competition will be wide open, and Blake would have to be considered a contender. If Fed stays healthy, Blake has no shot in hell.

True......very true.

 

[Breaker]

Blake is a very young 26 in tennis years, he's probably not slowing down for a while or losing sting on his strokes. He's one of those players that just gets better with age and needs the time to mentally mature. His time may come, it may not, but if his mental maturity comes around he will be at the top for years to come.

 

[TacoBellBorderBowl1946]

Blake will win a major, but not in the next couple years IMO. Then Fed will start detoriating like Sampras did.

Roddick will be in the middle of his prime, Nadal will be in his prime, and the young guns will enter their prime. This is the time where Blake will strike. I see him winning a USO title, and if he gets the fight attitude he can win either Wimby or ASO. I also liked what I saw from him at the French this year, but his best chance to win a major is definitely on hardcourts.

 

[West Coast Ace]

Blake will win a major,

As the old saying goes, "sh*t in one hand, wish in the other - report back on which one fills up first." I think you have a better chance of being killed by Africanized bees while holding a winning Powerball jackpot ticket.

 

[Kid Carlos]

NO, and i disagree his game is very taxing, running around all his forehand and the running he does in general. Plus in big matches he tries to use the crowd and gets really pumped up. Im not saying thats a bad thing but it does take alot out of him.

 

[U-NO-ME]

NO, and i disagree his game is very taxing, running around all his forehand and the running he does in general. Plus in big matches he tries to use the crowd and gets really pumped up. Im not saying thats a bad thing but it does take alot out of him.

True. He does seem to get too worked up.

P.S - J-block is crap.

 

[Jack the Hack]

Blake will win a major, but not in the next couple years IMO. Then Fed will start detoriating like Sampras did.

You do realize that James Blake is almost 2 years OLDER than Federer... don't you?

Blake will be 27 by the time the '07 Australian rolls around, and if he is going to win, "but not in the next couple years IMO", then he is going to starting winning Slams when he is 29 or 30?

 

[VamosRafa]

Sorry, Blake is good, but not that good.

He will alway be a dangerous floater, but he won't win a big one.

 

[AngeloDS]

If the draws go his favor he might have a chance... Say Nadal drops down in the ranking and faces Federer in a semi-final and Federer loses to Nadal (at the USO) and it's Blake vs Nadal in the final.

I doubt that will happen .

His shots are a lot better but his mentality and tactics on the court don't seem to be there. He seems a bit "lost" when he plays out there with people above him; like he has no specific game plan -- if so it doesn't shown. It feels like he's reacting and not being proactive in the game.

 

[superman1]

If the draw unfolds his way, he'll have as good a shot as the best of them.

But realistically? No, not a great shot. Anyone older than 21 will have their work cut out for them if they want to win a Slam. Guys like Baghdatis and Gasquet and Murray can at least hope that Federer will fade after a few years. I think Roddick will win another eventually, and I think Safin might be able to do it again. His form has actually looked excellent, he just needs a coach that can inspire him.