James Blake says future of tennis is in good hands
FILE PHOTO: James Blake of the U.S. returns a forehand to Ivo Karlovic of Croatia at the U.S. Open tennis championships in New York, August 28, 2013. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine/File Photo
LOS ANGELES - James Blake believes men's tennis is poised for another Golden Era thanks to blossoming rivalries between the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner as the ex-world number four prepares to return to action himself as part of the new Legends Team Cup.
Blake, who retired from the ATP Tour in 2013 after a career spent battling greats including Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, said every changing of the guard brings anxiety that the sport will regress.
"With every generation there's this dread of a doomsday situation," he told Reuters from a golf course in San Diego.
"What's going to happen when all these legends leave? I remember when it was, 'What is the Tour going to do when (Pete) Sampras and Agassi are gone?'
"And then before you know it Roger and Rafa show up. Novak (Djokovic) is still hanging on, not wanting to pass the torch, but at this point it's kind of being ripped out of his hands by the likes of Sinner and Alcaraz."
He said the contrast in playing styles and personalities - the passionate Alcaraz's improvisational assault verse the emotionally reserved Sinner's aggressive baseline slugging - makes them ideal foes.
"The game just gets better and better," said Blake, who is the tournament director of the Miami Open and a commentator for ESPN.
"I'm never gonna be one of those commentators that says, you know, back in my day, we would do it better than this.
"No. The game keeps getting better and I love that about it. And seeing how Sinner plays makes me very happy I'm retired. The guy just has absolutely zero holes. So it's really fun to see."
LEGENDS TEAM CUP
Blake will make his return to competitive tennis this summer when the Legends Team Cup debuts.
Blake, Spanish former world number one Carlos Moya and two-time Davis Cup champion Mark Philippoussis of Australia are the captains of the team competition, which divides 18 former players into three teams.
Blake said it will not be like the "hit and giggle" exhibition events former pros sometimes take part in, in part because of the $12 million total prize purse on the line.
"When you leave from being a pro tennis player, your competitive spirit doesn't leave," said the 45-year-old Blake.
"You maybe can't play at that absolute top, top level that we were all at and we're all used to and your body starts failing you a little bit.
"So to have an opportunity to still really compete with others that have that ability and that fire is such a cool concept."
The first Legends Teams Cup event will see Team Blake take on Team Philippoussis in St. Barth June 12-14. REUTERS
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