I try to refrain from writing about sports for opinion pieces, but I had to make an exception in this instance. As some tennis fans know, it has become a tradition for American tennis players to retire following the U.S. Open. Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick, among others, played their final matches in similar fashion. On Monday, James Blake announced that he would be retiring after the year’s final major. Blake’s announcement comes after a period of several years in which his ranking has continuously dropped.
Even if you are a tennis enthusiast, you may not yet be aware of this development. Or, if you are, maybe you just do not care. Blake has not been a relevant competitor for years, and he never enjoyed the same stardom as many of his contemporaries. Even with American tennis at a low point, Blake has faded into obscurity. He is currently ranked 100th in the world and has not won a tournament since 2007. Yet it would be a shame for his retirement to go unnoticed simply because his on-court accomplishments were considered lacking. Indeed, Blake’s retirement should be highly publicized, as his story can provide a refreshing departure from current sporting news.
Recent sports coverage has been overwhelmingly negative, sometimes enough to make even the most cheerful person cynical. Every level of athletics, it appears, is looking to blame someone for something. Former football players are blaming the NFL for inadequate protection against concussions, the NCAA is blaming players for illegally receiving benefits, Major League Baseball is blaming a group of players for lying about steroid use, and a grand jury is blaming NFL player Aaron Hernandez for first-degree murder. Those are just some examples of front-page sporting news. James Blake’s retirement will probably not garner the same spotlight. It should, though, for his willingness to never blame anything, even though he had the right to.
Blake’s career is the epitome of overcoming hardship and serving as a symbol of perseverance. His path to tennis success was an untraditional one. As a child, he had severe scoliosis and was forced to wear a back brace. He was not the product of an exclusive tennis academy, and chose to play college tennis—a rarity for future professional players. After excelling in college and breaking into the professional tour, Blake was met with debilitating injuries. He broke several vertebrae after slipping and slamming his head into a netpost. Then, he developed a case of shingles so bad that it paralyzed his face and negatively affected his vision. Nevertheless, Blake returned from those setbacks and ultimately rose as high as number-four in the world. But, for his few years of high-class tennis, he was never able to compete with the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. And though it would be easy, Blake never blamed any previous misfortune. It would be hard for any sports fan—not simply tennis fans—to find an athlete with more class.
For those who know Blake’s story, it is frustrating that his retirement will likely not garner the sweeping coverage as, say, Sampras’. From one standpoint, it makes sense that outstanding athletes receive more widespread celebration when they retire. Their absences, after all, will impact their sports more strongly, and many dominating athletes have managed to become cultural icons. Brett Favre and Michael Jordan’s many retirements, for instance, were front-page news stories because those athletes were among the all-time best at their respective professions. Likewise, Mariano Rivera—the New York Yankees’ legendary pitcher—has seen his final season in baseball become a celebrity tour because he is considered to be the greatest closer in baseball history. From another perspective, though, we should wonder why we do not always immortalize athletes with great character like we do those with impressive skills. Sure, better players may be more enjoyable to watch on the field or court. But for athletes sports are a job, not who they are. Character, then, should be more widely appreciated in today’s sporting culture, especially when considering how many exceptional athletes have been of questionable morals. Blake’s integrity and class deserve at least as much recognition as any athletic milestone achieved by Barry Bonds, Lance Armstrong or Tiger Woods and perhaps more.
Sadly, some lesser sports figures who have overcome tremendous adversity or who have proven to be especially positive forces outside of sports are never given the farewell they deserve. Blake deserves as much publicity as any Heisman Trophy winner or NBA Finals MVP, because he is a rare combination of skill and poise that transcends his athletic skill.
Alex Yahanda is a senior associate editor for The Cavalier Daily.
Read More
WILLIAMS: The future of Virginia is on the ballot this fall
By Ryan Williams | 9 hours agoHence, voters must make it their top priority to think critically and closely as they decide who their ballot will support this fall.
PARTING SHOT: On the art of walking and chewing gum
By Nathan Onibudo | 2 days agoStudent journalism, and maybe even life more generally, is about holding space for multiple conflicting truths.
PARTING SHOT: Confessions of a nepo baby
By Grace Thrush | 3 days agoWhile I can’t point to one specific “aha” moment where I finally started to dispel my self-consciousness and claim my pride for the paper, I got there gradually over the course of my term as managing editor.
