The Blake Boys Put a New Spin on Brotherly Love

Tennis champs Tom '98 and James '01 work hard on and off the courts balancing athletics and academics

Balancing top-flight athletics with quality academics is a famously daunting and sometimes disorienting task.

Co-captain of the Crimson tennis team, Tom Blake '98, knows about the problems that accompany well-rounded excellence first-hand, and, as a team leader, he generously passes his wisdom along. To much of the team, he seems like a big brother. To tennis phenom and freshman James Blake the relationship is a bit more literal. The Blakes have been helping each other since they were kids together hacking on the courts of Fairfield, Conn.

In addition to joining his brother on the Crimson's courts, James (the younger) will follow the Tom (the older) into Mather House next year as well as a concentration in economics. And this summer the two of them will try to break into the pro tennis circuit. At the moment, James is ranked No. 10 among men's collegiate players; his older brother happens to be No. 14. Sibling rivalry? They never heard of it.

Tom, was a straight-A student at Fairfield High when he chose to come to Harvard, but he wasn't sure he could make the tennis team. He knew that Harvard had the best team in the Ivy League and he believed that Harvard was the best college in the country and, because he is a competitive guy, he liked that. But it took a lot of skill, a lot of work, and, says Tom, a little luck to wind up No. 6 on the Harvard team his freshman year. After that, he adds, he "kept on improving."

James has had a meteoric career during his freshman year. He was ranked the No. 1 player in the U.S. Tennis Association Boys' l8-year-old category. He made the semifinals in the Penn Classic in October and eliminated the No. 8 seed, Mike Brian, at the National Indoor Championships, then advanced to the semifinals in doubles with his brother.

Playing championship tennis and keeping up with academics hasn't been easy for either of the Blakes. As David Fish, coach of the men's tennis team, says, "Harvard is a place where if you do one thing well, you don't lose sight of everything else." James says his big brother has been looking out for him all year. "It's been a big adjustment from high school," he says. Though he loves to play, James adds, "You've got to find a balance. It's important to make time for a social life." Tom characterizes his contribution to his brother's career as "keeping him from taking the wrong courses."

You could do worse than learn attitude from Tom Blake. The winner of many sportsmanship awards, he is known for his "live and let live" attitude, says Coach Fish. "He picks up sportsmanship awards like a magnet. His opponents like him even after he's beaten them."

Tom responds, "I'm happy to get those awards. Being a good sport and controlling yourself on the court is important."

Equally important is keeping academics in view with a devouring athletic schedule. A typical spring week for the brothers has meant classes Monday through Thursday, with three hours of practice each day, then leaving Thursday afternoon for tournaments. The team van is packed and "it's hard to do any work on the way to the matches," says Tom. Then, they return Saturday night to spend the weekend trying to catch up on academics.

For the NCAA Division I Men's Championships, which take place on May 23-31 at the University of Georgia, Harvard will send along a proctor so the players can take their exams with the rest of the class.

As for going pro, Tom plans to play for two or three years, then see how high he's ranked. As long as he keeps getting better, he'll stay in the game.

James' plan is to play this summer and fall -- his dream is to enter his first Grand Slam event -- the U.S. Open -- in August, and he's looking forward to living with his friends at Mather House in the spring.