He knew that he had to dig deeper than he ever had in his tennis life. That’s because James Blake had never comeback from two sets down to win a best-of-five match in his career. He also hadn’t had any luck against a tough opponent in 46th ranked Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, who owned a career 3-0 record and looked on his way to making it a perfect four-for-four.

The 29 year-old veteran had frustrated Blake with a steady ground game including some stifling winners off the backhand side down the line to capture the first two sets. However, a determined and fitter 28 year-old American across the net fought his way back into the entertaining match to pull off a well earned five set win- ousting Grosjean 4-6, 2-6, 6-0, 7-6 (5), 6-2 Saturday at Vodafone Arena in Melbourne.

After facing early trouble in the opening service game of the third set, the streaky Blake turned it around nailing big first serves and slugging winners. He dictated the play and cruised to an easy bagel to pull within a set of Grosjean.

Just when it seemed the No.12 seed had clear momentum, his feisty opponent used his speed and wits to break consecutive times opening up a 4-1 double break lead in the fourth set. That’s when Blake elevated his level by dictating the points and suddenly breaking back twice and holding serve to run off four consecutive games for a 5-4 lead. But leveling the ultracompetitive match wouldn’t come easy as Grosjean fought off a set point and then forced a pivotal tiebreaker.

In it, the Frenchman jumped out to a 4-1 minibreak and 5-3 lead. But that’s when Blake used his splendid groundstrokes to turnaround the breaker. First, he nailed a backhand return winner down the line to get back on serve. A couple of more winners setup a second set point. A service winner drew him even as he screamed, “Yeah. Yeah!” pumping his fist.

If fatigue was a factor, it reared its ugly head in the final set as a fresher Blake played longer points making a weary Grosjean work for everything breaking twice before serving it out without a problem- punctuating the much deserved come from behind win with an ace down the tee.

The victory improved Blake to 2-10 in five setters with his only other win coming at last year’s U.S. Open in a second round conquest of Fabrice Santoro.

“That’s got to be my biggest comeback — down two sets to love, two sets to one, two breaks; 4-1 in the breaker, 5-3 in the breaker,” a pumped up Blake told the Associated Press. “Just seemed like every time there was a mountain to climb … couldn’t have been a better feeling than to accomplish what I did.“

“I don’t think a lot of people like my chances, but I always do — no matter what my body language says.“

That included ESPN’s own Patrick McEnroe and Mary Carillo. They were pleasantly surprised by Blake’s complete reversal of good fortune.

He’ll next meet 19 year-old Croat Marin Celic, who upset 2007 Australian runner-up Fernando Gonzalez in four sets, 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1.

The lanky Celic who was discovered by former 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic plays a similar style with flashy groundstrokes and a nice touch at the net.  

So it shouldn’t come easy if Blake wants to advance to his first ever quarterfinal down under where two-time defending champ Roger Federer could await.

In the mean time, he should savor a hard fought victory which will give him even more confidence going forward in the year’s first slam and beyond.

Especially with Americans Andy Roddick and Mardy Fish bowing out with third round disappointments the previous day.

Just an update on Federer. He’s actually losing to Janko Tipsarevic 6-7. 7-6, 5-7, 5-1. With another break just now, it appears the three-time Aussie champ and best player in the world is about to level the match as it heads for a deciding fifth set.

Who would ever have believed that?!?!?!?!?! Tipsarevic has a big game and is talented but has never really made a dent at the majors.

Either way, they’re going to be talking about him later today. Especially with all the recent upsets which also included second seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova and former 2006 winner Amelie Maureso as well as Russian Anna Chakvetadze.

We’ll try to update what happens later today at some point.