News Americas, FLUSHING, NY, Thurs. Aug. 29, 2013: U.S. Tennis star James Blake’s retirement wish came true Wednesday.
Blake, who had announced earlier this week that this Open be his final tournament, lost to Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in a first-round match that ended early this morning at the National Tennis Center in New York.
He lost the decisive fifth set in a tiebreaker 7-2. “I don’t know when it’s going to hit me,” Blake said, with tears in his eyes. “I don’t know if I’m going to sleep tonight. It’s hitting me now that it’s never going to happen again in my life. I appreciate every single one of you for being here.”
He then turned to his box and said, “I love you guys for being part of my life and part of my career.”
Karlovic, who at 34 – one year older than Blake, finished with 38 aces.
Still fans can catch Blake in one more appearance at the US Open. He’s playing doubles later today, Thursday Aug. 29th, with Jack Sock against No. 2-seeded team of Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares.
