NEW YORK—In defeating James Blake early this evening on the Grandstand, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, David Ferrer, the tournament's fifth seed, showed off the skills and mindset that have made him a Top 10 mainstay. The Spaniard might not hit an especially big ball, or be an arrestingly creative player, but he's smart, industrious, fleet of foot and—perhaps most important—unfailingly consistent. One doesn’t outlast Ferrer in rallies; ones takes points from him, or dies trying.
Depending on the form Blake shows up with on the day, this makes Ferrer either the ideal or worst possible opponent. Blake’s go-for-broke style—often the subject of commentator criticism—is more than defensible against the likes of Ferrer; it makes perfect sense. When Blake took Rafael Nadal out of the Open in 2005, it was with fearless, flat clubbing of the ball, especially a forehand that remains one of the most explosive in the world. That was the foundation of the win, and the same could be said for many of the American’s most memorable victories over the course of his career.
It's also the foundation of a playing style that's endeared him to American tennis fans. As a kid, Blake idolized Michael Jordan for the electrifying energy and shotmaking ability he brought to the court. Blake himself can fire up a crowd, and there were plenty of moments when he did just that today, as in a moment in the sixth game when he ran down a lob, spun around and pasted it down the line for a winner. He also smoked forehand winners from everywhere on the court, inspiring the same oohs and ahhs they have for years.
But it was ultimately a day of missed opportunities for Blake, who, at 4-5 in the first set, dropped serve on a run of unforced errors. He also held breaks in the second and third sets, though Ferrer broke right back on both occasions.
As Blake said in his post-match press conference, Ferrer gives his opponents nothing. Blake also pointed out that Ferrer can make players look worse than they are. Both traits were on full display as Ferrer tenaciously engaged in punishing, side-to-side rallies with Blake, patiently shaking off winners, drawing errors, or waiting for precisely the right moment to come in on an approach—or throw every ounce of his 5’9” body into a winner. The man is a consummate professional, and though it's hard to imagine Ferrer's game ever netting him a Slam title, that only increases one’s admiration for the effort he puts into going as deep as he possibly can, time after time.
—Andrew Friedman, who worked with Blake on his book, Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life