James Blake to retire from ATP after U.S. Open

NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- James Blake, who reached No. 4 in the rankings, said he will retire from competition following the U.S. Open, which began Monday.

Blake has a first-round match against Ivo Karlovic.

"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 said Monday. "For me to think of matches I should have won and to make those as regrets for me has always just seemed greedy. I did the best I could in every situation."

Blake, 33, reached the career-best No. 4 ranking in November 2006. His play in recent years had been hampered by injury. He was No. 100 in the rankings update Monday.

He won 10 tournaments and nearly $8 million in his ATP career. Three times, including in 2005 and '06 at the U.S. Open, he reached quarterfinals in Grand Slam tournaments.

In 2004 Blake was practicing when he slipped on a clay court and hit a net post, breaking his neck. His father died that summer and he developed shingles, which affected his eyesight.

But he won two tournaments in 2005 while being voted the ATP's Comeback Player of the Year. He was named the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year in 2008.