James Blake set for tennis comeback at ITF event

James Blake announced that he will return to the tour after 10 years at the M15 Rancho Santa Fe Open.

The 43-year-old former tennis player confirmed that he will make a comeback after being away from professional tennis for a decade. James Blake will team up with Hudson Rivera, a freshman on the Stanford men's tennis team, as they received a wild card to play in the doubles event at the M15 Rancho Santa Fe Open.

This will be the American's first tournament since his retirement in 2013, when he lost in the first round of the US Open to Ivo Karlovic. Blake admitted that he doesn't have high expectations for his return to the courts, but he still has a competitive spirit and will strive to win the match.

He said, "It's going to be fun. I haven't played a tournament in 10 years since I announced my retirement. I don't have any expectations. The competitive juices are still there, and I'll go out there and I'm still going to want to win."

The former world No. 4 won 10 titles during his professional career and was known for reaching the final of the ATP Finals, the semifinals of the Beijing Olympics 2008, and the quarterfinals of the Australian Open and US Open.