Not bleak for Blake

SAN JOSE, California – Third-seeded James Blake easily beat Florent Serra of France, 6-4, 6-3, to advance to the quarterfinals of the SAP Open on Thursday.

Blake has never won the tournament but it’s the fourth time he’s reached the quarterfinals.

“I thought I played really well again,” said Blake. “I served well. It was a slightly different matchup, he’s not going to hit so many cold winners off returns but he will put a lot of balls into play and I got a lot balls out of his reach.”

After the match, Blake exchanged words with the Frenchman because of some on-court antics. “He’s doing some stuff we used to do in juniors. He’s too good for that. He’s a very good player and I have a lot of respect for his game.

“He was moving when I was looking at him or when I’m tossing the ball. These are things I think don’t really have a place on the pro tour.”

Blake will face fellow American Sam Querrey in the quarters. Blake was 3-1 against Querrey.

Sixth-seeded Querrey knocked off Denis Gremelmayr of Germany, 6-3, 6-2. Earlier this year, he lost in the finals of the Auckland Open to Juan Martin del Potro.

Querrey had 12 aces in the match to run his total to 28 for the first two rounds.

Former finalist Mardy Fish reached his first quarterfinals since the US Open last September when he struggled past John Isner, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 7-5.

Fifth-seeded Fish hit 13 aces to Isner’s 15, and broke his fellow American three times without losing his own serve in the second round.    (AP)

Also, qualifier Todd Widom made it to his first ever ATP quarterfinals when he overcame Taylor Dent 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 in another all-American match

Widom hadn’t won on the tour since 2006 until this week and was ranked 270th. He earned a match with fourth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic. (AP)