Crowd loyalties, friendships and James Blake's pretensions to reaching the top will be under scrutiny when he faces fellow American Andy Roddick in the third round of the Cincinnati Masters Series on Thursday.

Blake, a part-time model, is conscious of his need to supplement a positive image off the court with tangible success on it, and the primetime evening session clash with Roddick -- his close friend and Davis Cup team mate -- provides the perfect opportunity.

"I'm looking forward to putting myself in front of the freight train that is Andy," Blake told reporters after his 6-1 6-4 second-round win over Dutch 11th seed Sjeng Schalken on Wednesday.

"He is playing better than anyone right now -- but he's still beatable."

The fighting talk is the result of an upsurge in form for Blake, 23, whose ranking has slipped this year as expectations have not been met.

EARLY PROMISE

In contrast, Roddick, under the tutelage of new coach Brad Gilbert, has begun to confirm his early promise.

Roddick's 6-1 6-4 victory over Croatian Ivan Ljubicic on Wednesday was his 26th in 28 matches under Gilbert, Andre Agassi's former coach who believes his player has all the weapons to dominate the game for years to come.

Blake's inferior talent makes for a different, but no less important, proposition for the ATP Tour.

His photogenic features dominate billboards selling the event here, as they have done in the last 12 months in other adverts and magazine shoots.

As a role model for the African-American community as well, it is clear Blake has much to live up to.

"There have been a lot of expectations on me," Blake said. "But I think I'm getting better at handling them.

"I didn't do well in the claycourt season but I have watched tapes of myself and improved my attitude recently.

"But I understand this is the United States...this is where the biggest market is, and more people wanting you to do well. I see that as an opportunity.

"I don't want to let anyone down. I take my responsibility to the African-American community very seriously.

"When Arthur Ashe did so well, it inspired me. It doesn't matter if kids pick up tennis or basketball -- they just have to know there's an option."

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