Latest news with #JamesBlake
Asharq Al-Awsat
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
James Blake Says Future of Tennis is in Good Hands
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.
CNA
07-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
James Blake says future of tennis is in good hands
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
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
James Blake says future of tennis is in good hands
LOS ANGELES, May 7 (Reuters) - 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.
Korea Herald
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
James Blake to perform in Korea in July
Singer-songwriter unlimited by genre to thrill Korean music fans James Blake, the British producer and singer-songwriter known for mastering diverse genres ranging from electronica to hip-hop, is returning to Korea for the first time in six years. Concert promoter Private Curve announced that James Blake will perform July 24 at Yes 24 Live Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. This marks his first performance in Korea since 2019's Holiday Land Festival, and his first solo concert in the country in 11 years. James Blake rose to prominence in the UK music scene with his 2011 self-titled debut album. Known for his slow and dreamy postdubstep sound, he has continually pushed musical boundaries by blending classical, soul and R&B influences. With his debut album, Blake ranked second in BBC's 'Sound of 2011' and was nominated for the Mercury Prize for album of the year. His second studio album, "Overgrown," released in 2013, won the Mercury Prize for album of the year, beating out industry giants like David Bowie and the Arctic Monkeys. In 2014, he was nominated for best new artist at the 56th Grammy Awards. Blake is also well known for his collaborations with major hip-hop artists. In 2023, he worked as a producer on the Travis Scott album "Utopia." He also received critical acclaim for "Bad Cameo," a collaborative album made with rapper Lil Yachty released last year. In 2019, Blake won the Grammy for best rap performance for 'King's Dead,' a collaboration with Kendrick Lamar, and in 2024 he won for best rap song at the Grammys for 'Scientists & Engineers,' which he co-wrote for Killer Mike.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
James Blake Says 'Bashing' of Coldplay 'Has Got to Stop'
The post James Blake Says 'Bashing' of Coldplay 'Has Got to Stop' appeared first on Consequence. James Blake has stood up for fellow Brits Coldplay, calling for the 'bashing' of the band to come to an end because 'it's not cool anymore.' Blake shared his opinion during a recent episode of the BBC Sounds podcast Sidetracked with Annie and Nick, when he was asked to weigh in on a recent social media post from Chrissie Hynde, in which she shared what she thought was 'cool' versus 'uncool.' Get Coldplay Tickets Here Host Nick Grimshaw kicked off the conversation by asking Blake whether he thought bands in general were 'cool' again. After Annie Macmanus chimed in to say that it was hard to be a cool 'successful touring band,' the topic turned to how Coldplay was recently described as 'public school Nickelback' by BRIT Awards host Jack Whitehall. In response, Blake said: 'Coldplay bashing has got to stop. It's not cool anymore! It's not cool anymore to just be like 'Coldplay's not cool.' Just fuck off. There are so many amazing Coldplay songs. And Chris Martin is clearly a melodic genius.' He continued, '[If] you don't like the sound of their last few records, OK…? When you go and see them at Glastonbury, did you like a lot of the songs? Probably.' 'Maybe the band changed the way they dressed? Are we not allowed to change the way we dress?' Blake asked. 'Are we not allowed to bloody write songs in a different genre? Like, who cares, man? I get really a bit irate about this!' Listen to the podcast here. The Coldplay discussion begins around 14:21. For what it's worth, Martin recently revealed he's learned to embrace haters in an interview with Rolling Stone, while also admitting Coldplay are 'a very, very easy, safe target.' He added, 'There've been times where we [were like], 'Well, we should probably try and look a bit like this or talk a bit like that.' And now, it's just like, 'No.'' Haters aside, Coldplay are set to resume their record-setting international 'Music of the Spheres Tour' in April. See the full schedule below, and get tickets here. Last summer, Blake teamed up with Lil Yachty for their collaborative album, Bad Cameo. His most recent solo album was 2023's Playing Robots into Heaven; grab your copy here. Coldplay 2025 Tour Dates: 04/08 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium 04/09 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium 04/11 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium 04/12 – Hong Kong @ Kai Tak Stadium 04/16 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 04/18 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 04/19 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 04/22 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 04/24 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 04/25 – Seoul, South Korea @ Goyang Stadium 05/31 – Stanford, CA @ Stanford Stadium 06/01 – Stanford, CA @ Stanford Stadium 06/06 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium 06/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ Allegiant Stadium 06/10 – Denver, CO @ Empower Field at Mile High 06/13 – El Paso, TX @ Sun Bowl Stadium 06/14 – El Paso, TX @ Sun Bowl Stadium 07/07 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium 07/08 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium 07/11 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium 07/12 – Toronto, ON @ Rogers Stadium 07/15 – Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium 07/16 – Foxborough, MA @ Gillette Stadium 07/19 – Madison, WI @ Camp Randall Stadium 07/22 – Nashville, TN @ Nissan Stadium 07/26 – Miami, FL @ Hard Rock Stadium 08/18 – Hull, UK @ Craven Park Stadium 08/19 – Hull, UK @ Craven Park Stadium 08/22 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 08/23 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 08/26 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 08/27 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 08/30 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 08/31 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 09/03 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 09/04 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 09/07 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium 09/08 – London, UK @ Wembley Stadium James Blake Says 'Bashing' of Coldplay 'Has Got to Stop' Eddie Fu Popular Posts Jon Stewart Calls Out Elon Musk for Flaking on The Daily Show Interview Faster Pussycat Singer's Fiancée Dies After Falling Overboard on '80s Cruise That Band Was Playing Dead Kennedys Legend Jello Biafra Joins Cavalera Onstage for "Nazi Trumps F**k Off": Watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail Returning to Theaters for 50th Anniversary Mike Myers Debuts Elon Musk Impersonation in SNL Cold Open: Watch Queens of the Stone Age Announce US Tour Dates with The Kills Subscribe to Consequence's email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox.
