Alexander Blockx has become the first Belgian man ever to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open, overcoming severe rib pain and a gutsy fightback from Francisco Cerundolo to write his name into the record books at Flushing Meadows.
The 21-year-old, seeded 28th in his main-draw debut at a Grand Slam, defeated 24th-seeded Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 in a gruelling fourth-round encounter on Monday. The victory capped a remarkable run that has seen Blockx climb from outside the top 100 at the start of the year to the brink of the last four at a major.
A match defined by grit
Blockx controlled the opening set, breaking Cerundolo early and closing it out 6-3. But the Argentine regrouped, finding his range from the baseline to level the match at one set apiece with a 6-4 second set.
It was in the third set that the match turned into a battle of endurance. Blockx revealed afterwards that he had been playing through sharp rib pain since before the match, receiving what he called "magical medication" from the tournament doctor to manage the discomfort. The Belgian admitted he came close to retiring.
"I was really close to retiring, to be honest," Blockx said. "Even before the match I was already under medication, and during the match I had medication. So if you feel that much pain while having a lot of medication, that's not a good sign."
He clawed the third set 7-5 after a tense run of games, and the momentum shift proved decisive. Blockx carried the energy into the fourth, again grinding out a 7-5 scoreline to seal his place in the quarter-finals.
From qualifiers to the last eight
Blockx's journey to this point has been one of the stories of the tournament. The Belgian, who reached a career-high ranking of No. 32 in July, had to qualify for the Australian Open at the start of the season. His run at Flushing Meadows began in earnest when he upset fifth-seeded Flavio Cobolli in the third round — a result that announced him as a genuine contender.
At 6-foot-4 and lean of frame, Blockx combines a powerful serve with aggressive baseline play that has drawn comparisons to the new generation of Belgian tennis talent. He is the first man from his country to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final since Olivier Rochus at the 2004 Australian Open, and the first to do so at the US Open in the Open Era.
What comes next
Blockx will face a formidable opponent in the quarter-finals, with the winner of his next match set to face one of the tournament's top seeds. For now, the young Belgian is savouring a moment he said he had dreamed of since watching the US Open as a child.
"It would have been a shame if I would have retired and then it got better afterwards," Blockx said with a grin. "I was just lucky."
Luck may have played its part, but Blockx's talent and determination have been the driving forces behind a run that has captivated the tennis world.
Sources
- https://www.nampa.org/text/23009742
- https://english.mathrubhumi.com/sports/tennis/alexander-blockx-first-belgian-man-us-open-quarter-finals-2026-f50xmnib
- https://www.deccanchronicle.com/sports/us-open-2026-blockx-beats-francisco-becomes-first-belgian-man-to-reach-quarterfinals-1985742
