Seeded 28th, Blockx navigated a challenging four-set encounter against 24th-seeded
Overcoming Physical Adversity
The path to victory was far from straightforward, as Blockx battled a sharp pain in his rib throughout the match. The Belgian revealed that he required medical intervention during play to manage the discomfort, admitting that he was close to withdrawing from the contest entirely. He noted that had he dropped the third set, the likelihood of him retiring from the match would have been extremely high.
Despite the physical struggle, Blockx managed to find his rhythm when it mattered most. With the third set tied at 5-5 and facing a 0-40 deficit on his serve, he produced a series of powerful serves and aggressive groundstrokes to hold. He immediately followed that hold with a crucial break of Cerundolo’s serve to take a two-sets-to-one lead. The fourth set remained a tense affair until the final game, when Blockx secured the decisive break to seal the win, collapsing to the court in celebration as his opponent’s final shot landed wide.
Looking Ahead to the Quarter-finals
Reflecting on his breakthrough, Blockx expressed disbelief at his rapid ascent, noting that he began the year ranked outside the top 100 and had to navigate the qualifying rounds just to reach the Australian Open earlier this season. He described the experience of playing and winning on the Flushing Meadows courts as surreal.
The Belgian now prepares for a high-stakes quarter-final clash against Karen Khachanov. The Russian advanced to the last eight after a grueling five-set victory over American Learner Tien, winning 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-4. Khachanov, a former US Open semi-finalist, enters the match with momentum after previously eliminating the third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round.
