"One of the most stand up guys" - James Blake hails Virginia head coach Andres Pedroso for correcting wrong call despite loss at ITA Championships

James Blake showered praises on Virginia's head coach Andres Pedroso for correcting a wrong call in favor of their opponent's team at the 2024 ITA Indoor National Championships.

The University of Virginia clashed with the Ohio State Buckeyes in the doubles semifinals of the tournament. In the first point of the tie-breaker in the deciding set, Virginia player Dylan Dietrich made a line call.

Head coach Andres Pedroso corrected his player and the chair umpire on the baseline call, with the point going in the Buckeyes' favor. The latter eventually won the tiebreak 7-2 to collect a doubles point at the tournament.

Tennis journalist Colette Lewis took to social media to express her appreciation for Pedroso's honesty.

"Those of you who believe college coaches should overrule their players on bad line calls (count me among them) have their example now in UVA's Andres Pedroso. 1st point of TB that would decide doubles point, corrects Dietrich (& chair) on baseline call. OSU goes on to win it 7-2," wrote a tennis journalist on X (formerly Twitter)."

American former tennis player James Blake commented on Lewis' post and lauded Pedroso for setting an example for young talents.

"Andres is one of the most stand up guys in our sport. Players are lucky to play for him and will end the 4 years as better players and better humans," wrote Blake on X (formerly Twitter).

Andres Pedroso is also the Cavaliers’ director of tennis and has won the ITA 'National Coach of the Year' award in 2022 and 2023.

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James Blake to be "a small part" of documentary featuring cycling legend Major Taylor

James Blake attends the 2023 US Open

James Blake will make an appearance in the upcoming WTIU Public Television documentary featuring speed cycling champion and civil rights activist Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor.

The cycling legend won the 1-mile sprint event at the 1899 World Track Championships. With that, he became the first African American to achieve the level of cycling world champion and the second African American athlete to win a world championship in any sport after George Dixon, a Canadian boxer, in 1890.

The documentary titled 'Major Taylor' details the cyclist's achievements and the prejudices that Taylor faced in his lifetime.

Blake took to social media to share the news of his part in the project.

"Fun to be a small part of this project," Blake wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

As per bicycling.com, the documentary will also include interviews with several accomplished individuals, including three-time Olympic medalist in track-and-field Edwin Moses and Blake, who is a former singles World No. 4 on the ATP Tour.