MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2026

Alexander Blockx

Mixed Zone

A. ZVEREV/A. Blockx

6-2, 7-5

Q. What does it feel like playing someone that good? I've seen him torture a lot of people on clay before, what made him, what makes him so difficult and so strong?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, I think he has a very complete game. He serves really well. He returns really well. I felt a lot of pressure from the beginning already of the match and, yeah, I think he deserves to be in the final here. He was just better today, and that's all I can say.

Q. What was your plan going up against him, knowing that he's so good at staying in the back and lulling people into like those backhand rallies and things like that? Did you have a plan to try and stay out of that in some ways?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, I tried to, yeah, keep my serve up, as I did in the last matches. In the rally I tried a bit of everything. I tried to hold the rally, I tried to be aggressive, I tried to open up the court. I felt like he had an answer to everything. But, yeah, I just need to improve everything I'm doing now to hopefully have a chance the next time.

Q. How were your legs holding up in that second set? It was a long set and a lot of running back and forth.

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, to be honest, I felt quite good. Yeah, it was tough. I was sweating more today than the other day, which is normal. But yeah, no, I think I could be, I can be happy about the last two weeks I had here.