Will 'Smartness' Sabotage Strode's bid for Pro Tennis Career?

Since Arthur Ashe won the U.S. Open singles championship more than 40 years ago (1968), no other African American male has won a major title.
Is Blake Strode next? Not likely.

A late bloomer at 23, Strode has the talent (raw though it might be), size (6'-2") and toughness needed to be a top-ranked pro, if not a Grand Slam singles champion. The St. Louis native, however, has one major weakness that he can't overcome: his smartness. Never thought I'd see that as a flaw in a young black man pursuing a career.

Yet clearly, his intellect is the source of his dilemma. Rather than focus exclusively on a tennis career for the next few years, the two-time scholar-athlete with Arkansas University, also wants to pursue his other childhood dream of becoming a lawyer. Strode, who graduated with a 3.976 GPA, recently told the Atlanta Constitution that he'll defer attending Harvard Law School, at least for a year, to chase balls on the pro tour.

" Law is something I have every intention of doing,” Strode said. ““Knowing I could still do it and play tennis, I sort of got to have my cake and eat it, too. In the next six or seven months, I’ll have to make another decision about law school."

Last week, Strode captured the inaugural U.S. Open national Playoffs in Atlanta, defeating Cecil Mamiit 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) in the final. The victory earned him a berth in next month's U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament. Since turning pro about a year ago, Strode won a minor league title in Joplin, Missouri, notched an impressive victory last year over Vince Spadea (who reached a career high No. 18 in 2005), but never reached the semifinals in 14 Futures/Challenger international events he played earlier this year.

Ranked No. 510 in the world, Strode knows that the level of competition will be keener at the U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament, which consists mainly of players ranked a notch below the top 100. His serve already is a major weapon, but he could use additional work on his fundamentals, i.e. his grounds strokes need to be grooved, made more consistent, and his court movement should be smoother, more fluid. That might take a year or two but could be expedited if he had the opportunity to work with and talk tactics with a top caliber coach, such as Brad Gilbert.

None of that is likely, however, so Strode's tennis career probably will be short-lived. Then too, he might demand greater attention and get the support he needs by earning a berth in the U.S. Open main draw. That's his dream, and so many of his dreams already have come true. He credits Ashe for much of his success. Last year, Strode won the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award.

"It's a testament to (Ashe) how much I've grown over the last 10 years," Strode said. "He's an example of what people can do and what they can accomplish through dedication, perseverance and hard work. "
The obvious good thing about Strode's dilemma is that he's in a win-win situation. With a little luck, he could become at least a multimillionaire whichever path he chooses to follow.

"I've always had these two dreams for my life," he said. "But for right now, I'm focusing on the tennis because that window is a little smaller."