When I heard of James Blake loss in Beijing, I wanted to yell out, "Blaaakkke!!" comme(fr.)Amy Winehouse. Blake lost today to Fernando Gonzales of Chile. The win is under criticism due to a disputed point. Blake is still in the running to win a bronze tomorrow.

But James Blake is a winner in every aspect of the word. I ran across a 60 Minutes piece that details his extraordinary life and he’s just 28(?).

What’s a disputed loss to a guy who has survived two devastating health crises and the death of his father to become a premier tennis star with a worldwide fan base.

Black is the son of an African American father and British mother. His parents coincidently met on the tennis court. Growing up, he and his siblings would watch them play. I guess the tennis bug bit and Blake took up the sport.

In 2004 Blake actually broke his neck in a freak accident during a match. Of the accident he says:

“It was definitely the best thing that happened to me. It ended up being the last six weeks of my father’s life, so I got to be here to spend a lot of time with him." Source

After, Blake’s father, Tom Blake, passed that same year  due to stomach cancer, the stress led to a viral infection that caused partial paralysis of his face.

Blake fought back against all odds to compete in the Beijing Olympics. That’s the mark of a champion. No retreat, no surrender. I can’t wait to see how this Olympic story ends.