Blake Wins Again in Early Stages of Comeback Attempt

Fans of James Blake have seen their share of ups and downs over the years, but with three wins so far at the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger, Blake gives hope that another comeback may be on the horizon. Blake, a wild card in the tournament, recorded a 6-3, 6-2 victory over fellow American Nicholas Monroe on Thursday and heads into a semifinal match-up against another countryman, No. 7 seed Donald Young.

Blake dominated Monroe in a quarterfinal match that lasted barely over an hour Thursday evening. In the first set, Blake broke Monroe once and faced no break points of his own. He remained steady throughout the set, winning 81 percent of points on his first serve to Monroe’s 67 percent. Blake outperformed his opponent on second-serve points as well, taking 73 percent to Monroe’s 43 percent.

Both players were less consistent in the second set, where Blake won 65 percent of first-serve points and Monroe won 41 percent of points on his first serve. Blake broke Monroe three times during the set and lost his serve once. The victory marked Blake’s third win in three days.

On Wednesday, Blake powered past Amer Delic of Bosnia and Herzegovina by a score of 6-3, 6-4. Overall, it was an efficient showing for Blake, who recorded 10 aces and won 88 percent of his first-serve points. Blake converted three of four break points against Delic and saved four of five break points during the match.

The previous day, Blake defeated Canadian Frank Dancevic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, in the first round. After dropping the first set, Blake rebounded to take the second set, and he had a strong finish, breaking Dancevic twice in the final set. Blake depended on his powerful forehand as he saved two of three break points during the match.

The 31-year-old former superstar will face 21-year-old Young in the semifinals on Friday. Young is coming off of a 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 upset over top seed Rainer Schuettler of Germany. Earlier in the tournament, Young defeated Denis Kudla of the U.S. in straight sets and prevailed over Grega Zemlja of Slovenia in a three-set battle that went to two tiebreakers.

Blake, who considered retirement last year, is working toward a final comeback after suffering a knee injury that hampered his speed and an injury to his right shoulder. He is currently ranked No. 154 in the world, up from No. 173 last month, and it has been a spotty year for Blake as he strives to recapture some of his former prowess. Challenger events, like those that boosted his 2005 comeback and eventual ascent to a No. 4 ranking the following year, may be key in propelling him back into the top 100.

Winning in Tallahassee would be an important step for Blake, and the three victories already under his belt are promising for a player who is known for his resilience and his dogged attitude on the court. Blake may be a long way from the top five, but he is certainly on the right track.

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