James Blake is urgent pause on retirement.
Former world No. 4 Blake, a 10-time ATP World Tour singles champion and seven-time ATP doubles champion, is placing his retirement from taking part in skilled tennis on maintain for one week as he competes in doubles with Rancho Santa Fe teenager Hudson Rivera on the Rancho Santa Fe Pro Open – the primary of seven consecutive tennis tournaments on USTA Southern California’s SoCal Pro Series.
TN Q&A: James Blake on ATP and Miami Open
Main-draw singles and doubles competitors for the Rancho Santa Fe Pro Open, hosted by Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, begins May 30. The event concludes with singles and doubles finals on June 4. Daily admission and parking is free to the general public.
“It’s going to be fun,” stated Blake, on receiving a wild card together with his hitting companion and Stanford-bound Rivera within the $15,000 ITF occasion. “I haven’t played a tournament in 10 years since I announced my retirement. I don’t have any expectations. The competitive juices are still there, and I’ll go out there and I’m still going to want to win.”
Blake, a Solana Beach, Calif. resident, superior to Grand Slam singles quarterfinals on the US Open in 2005 and 2006, and on the 2008 Australian Open. His greatest Grand Slam doubles end result was a semifinal berth at Wimbledon in 2009. Blake, 43, has been the event director of the extremely regarded Miami Open tennis event since 2018.
“We are delighted that James Blake and Hudson Rivera have accepted a wild card into the main draw of our doubles tournament at the ITF Rancho Santa Fe Pro Open, and this tandem will certainly elevate our 16-team doubles draw,” Rancho Santa Fe Pro Open event director John Chanfreau stated. “The pairing of James, an accomplished ATP champion, and Hudson, a rising star on the American tennis scene, is a highlight that is sure to intrigue our tennis community as we open the second year of play on the SoCal Pro Series at Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club.”
Blake stated occasions just like the SoCal Pro Series are vitally vital to juniors, faculty gamers and younger professionals seeking to kick-start their careers.
“I started in Futures events in Florida and Texas and all over,” Blake stated. “It is such an awesome device. For me, I wasn’t certain what that soar from faculty to the professionals was going to be like and so it’s an awesome bridge, particularly for somebody who doesn’t have that have or data concerning the professional recreation.
“Once you get the opportunities and the points, they get you the opportunity to play the bigger events, and once you have that there are chances to get wins at those stages. It’s like getting a break point. If you get enough break points, you’re eventually going to break through.
“I’m settled here now in Southern California. I’ve definitely made it clear to any of the younger pros and juniors in the area that if they want to come here, I’m happy to work with them. I’ve had Frances Tiafoe come here. Chris Eubanks has come, and now Hudson. Anyone who’s around and if I feel I can help, I will. If there are young juniors or pros who think I can help them, I’m around.”
The upcoming SoCal Pro Series showcases seven consecutive weeks of 15,000 ITF World Tour-level men’s and women’s tournaments at Southern California tennis facilities in San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange counties. Debuting successfully in 2022, the SoCal Pro Series will once again give Southern California players the chance to earn valuable ATP and WTA world ranking points.
The $15,000-purse ITF events for both men and women are part of the USTA Pro Circuit. This year, the top men’s and women’s players accumulating the most points throughout the seven events will be granted a wild card into qualifying at next year’s BNP Paribas Open. The “Road to Indian Wells” wild card is available to U.S. citizens who are Southern California residents or full-time Southern California college students.
The SoCal Pro Series’ upcoming seven tournament dates and locations are:
May 29-June 4 – Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, Rancho Santa Fe
June 5-11 – University of San Diego, San Diego
June 12-18 – Barnes Tennis Center, San Diego
June 19-25 – Jack Kramer Club, Rolling Hills Estates
June 26-July 2 – Racquet Club of Irvine, Irvine
July 3-9 – Lakewood Tennis Center, Lakewood
July 10-16 – Lakewood Tennis Center, Lakewood
Southern California players can register to play in pre-qualifying events for a chance to make the main draw at https://www.ustasocal.com/proseries. The upcoming pre-qualifying schedule includes: Barnes Tennis Center, May 26-28; Lakewood Tennis Club, June 2-5 and June 20-July 3.
To learn more about the SoCal Pro Series, go to: https://www.ustasocal.com/proseries.
Photo credit score: Getty About USTA Southern California
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