hen tennis star James Blake learned to play poker three years ago, his competitive nature kicked in and he became hooked. These days, he regularly plays online and even built a swanky poker room in his Tampa mansion.
The hand that the tennis gods have dealt Blake most recently is looking like a royal flush. He is the ninth ranked player in the world. When the U.S. Open begins on August 27, he will once again be among the tournament's darlings.
Blake, known for his booming forehand, has made more than $4 million in prize money. He is often referred to as one of the sexiest athletes on earth. He's smart, too, having spent two years at Harvard before turning professional. We'll get to the gorgeous women he dates later.
It is certainly good to be James Blake these days.
But as recently as 2004, Blake's career and even his health were in grave jeopardy. First, he crashed head-first into a steel net post while practicing in Italy, breaking his neck. Two months later, his father died of stomach cancer. The stress that followed triggered a case of shingles, leaving his vision blurred and the left side of his face paralyzed.
Blake overcame it all, providing one of the more inspirational comebacks in recent sports memory. He wrote a book about the experience, Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life, which instantly made bestseller lists when it was released in July.
"The book was very painful to write," Blake said. "But it was therapeutic."
Blake, 27, is affable and insightful. When having a conversation with him, it is easy to forget that he is also famous. He laughs easily. In fact, Blake said laughter has helped him get through the difficult times and relish the good ones.
When Blake spoke with Playboy.com recently while preparing for the U.S. Open, no topic was off limits. He talked candidly about dealing with reactions to his racial background (his mother Betty is white; his father Thomas Sr. was black). He even served up his thoughts on the old boxing adage that you shouldn't have sex before a match.
Blow by blow, Blake offered a juicy glimpse into his charmed life.
