James Blake tops Roger Federer to advance in Beijing Olympics tennis

If you’re going to pick a time to win a match against someone you’ve never beaten before, the Olympics is as good a time as any. In their previous eight meetings, James Blake had only taken a single set from Roger Federer before beating him in straight sets in the Beijing quarterfinals.

James Blake is one of my favorites, and it would be a real Olympic story if he could pull off the unthinkable and win a medal in the Beijing Olympics. Even though he’s part of the winning American Davis Cup team, Blake hasn’t achieved the fame and notoriety of more well known tennis players, including Federer.

And that’s a shame because James Blake has quite a story. From a diagnosis of scoliosis as a teen to a broken neck and shingles in 2004, Blake is quite the comeback kid. So, it would be really great if more people get to know James Blake, and a medal would certainly accomplish that.