Blake Loses ANOTHER Five Setter

It seems that James Blake is now 0-9 in five-set matches, the worst record for any currently active touring pro. Of course, after catching the reports of his loss to Max Mirnyi--"The Beast," a very tall serve-and-volley guy who's not especially noted as a singles players--I have to say I'm not surprised. I'm sure Mirnyi came in on the kitchen sink and forced Blake to hit pass after pass, when not scrambling to return a booming serve. Blake's game is not based on passing shots; it's based on jacking the court open with his forehand and looking to punish the weak comeback. In short, Blake likes to control the pressure, not have pressure thrown at him. I also think that even a slow-ish grass court (and there does seem to be such a thing) negates his speed. It's too easy for bangers and big servers to win cheap points and take away his defensive game.

I didn't honestly see him getting that far at Wimbly, even with his good Queen's Club result two weeks ago.

I look for him to be solid at the US Open however, if he can get through the hard court season without injuries.