Swan song for Blake

James Blake rested his white baseball hat on the table at the front of the U.S. Open’s main interview room, smiled, and began speaking Monday about his impending retirement from tennis. The former top-five player was relaxed, composed and matter-of-fact. “No real surprise here. This is my last tournament,” the 33-year-old American said on Day 1 of the year’s last Grand Slam. “I have had 14 pretty darn good years on tour, loved every minute of it, and I definitely couldn’t have asked for a better career.” Blake, who attended Harvard before turning pro in 1999, reached a career-high ranking of No. 4 in 2006. He is currently 100th and has a 9-13 record this season heading into his first-round match in the U.S. Open against Ivo Karlovic. – AP