Learning from James Blake

Blake isn't afraid to go on the offensive with his backhand © Getty Images The American has lifted his game with percentage play. 1.Improve your weaker side. Blake’s backhand has always been a liability, but in recent years he’s done a great job of shoring it up. I don’t think he’s really changed his technique—he may be hitting a little more out in front of his body—but it’s clear he’s practiced it so thoroughly that the shot is more ingrained than before, making him confident with it. That, in turn, has allowed Blake to change his mind-set for his backhand and up his level of aggression on that wing. Often, players are content to use their weaker side as a neutral shot. But I prefer that players be proactive rather than reactive, and Blake has done that really well. When club players see shots coming to their weaker side, they usually play it safe. Through a focused practice routine you can improve your placement and consistency, which will build confidence in that stroke and eventually allow you to be more aggressive with it. 2.Beef up your serve. Blake has also improved his serve. Now his first delivery is a consistent weapon. As with his backhand, much of his increased effectiveness is due to his work ethic. But I also think Blake has begun to use the large muscles in his legs better when he serves by bending his knees more and thrusting up toward the toss. This can speed up the serve by about 5–10 percent. At the professional level, an increase of even 5 percent, as long as you maintain your accuracy, is significant. Blake also appears to have a very elastic arm—some people have it and some people don’t. But you can improve your flexibility with a targeted stretching routine. A loose arm not only aids in increasing serve speed, it also helps prevent injuries. And because we tend to lose flexibility as we age, stretching becomes more important as we get older. Hard work and repetition has helped Blake smooth out his serve. 3. Use your feet to set up your weapon. Blake is blessed with terrific foot speed, but one thing he does exceptionally well is recognize opportunities. He jumps on any chance to run around his backhand and use his huge forehand. And in practice he hones the patterns of movement that he’ll use to do this. Be sure to practice the patterns of movement you need if you want to run around your backhand and take advantage of your forehand. 4.Develop a middle gear. Blake used to be one of the flashier players on tour. He would produce outrageous winners as well as ugly errors. But in the last two years he’s developed what I call a middle gear. By playing at three-quarters of his maximum he can still create opportunities to win points without making careless mistakes. Now, rather than go for a low-percentage winner from way behind the baseline, Blake plays within himself with the goal of getting into a winning position in the next shot or two. Part of this is due to his maturation as a player, but it’s also a skill that can be practiced by using your position on the court to determine how much you should go after the ball. The farther inside the court you are, the more aggressive you should be. Conversely, when you’re behind the baseline or on the run, don’t go for a winner.