Add it to the vault
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- August
- 31
Well, you must know one thing: If there is a rain delay at some point during the U.S. Open, USA and CBS will have plenty to show. James Blake vs. Fabrice Santoro was that good.
The best part of the match may’ve been Santoro, who played the role of villain-turned-hero better than Rocky in Rocky IV. His act was that believable, as he stole the Ashe crowd — with the exception of an unruly J-Block — from the usual hometown favorite.
For tennis on this night, Santoro was probably the story. But for the tournament, it’s Blake.
He finally knows what it feels like to win a five-setter (he came in 0 for 9) and perhaps someday — whether it’s here or somewhere else — the experience will serve him well in a match against a Nadal or a Roddick or a Djokovic. After dealing with the pest that is Santoro, Blake will be quite prepared.
Plus, this tournament needs Blake and Andy Roddick around as long as possible, so to see Blake prevail was huge for American tennis and the U.S. Open.
This entry was posted
on Friday, August 31st, 2007 at 1:04 am by Josh Thomson.
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I wrote this about Santoro on my blog this morning: “I’ve written quite a bit about Blake lately, but I haven’t written about Santoro for a while. He hits a two-handed forehand and a two-handed backhand. He plays all sorts of slices and angles. And while he’s not anywhere close to being the most talented player on the tour, he never, ever gives up. I love that about him.”
Santoro gave us a great show, but in the end, I was happy that Blake finally won a five-setter and that he advanced. Looking at his draw, he has a shot to go deep. Haas shouldn’t be a problem. Who knows about Murray? But if Blake gets by him, he’ll presumably play Davydenko for a shot at Federer in the semis. I’d love to see that.