US OPEN

September 7, 2026

Alexander Blockx

Press Conference

A. BLOCKX/F. Cerundolo

6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back. Congratulations. Tough four-setter. Three-plus hours. You're moving on. Your thoughts?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, first of all, very happy to get through. It wasn't very easy today. Physically it was a real battle today on court.

I think tennis-wise I have been pretty good the whole week. I think it was just physically, yeah, that was really tough from the beginning of the match. I was struggling a lot with my rib, especially while serving. It kept getting worse throughout the match.

Eventually the doctor gave me some medication, which really helped me towards the end of the third set, where in the fourth set I could finally serve normal again how I usually serve.

Yeah, I think I got a bit lucky occasionally in some moments. Yeah, I'm just happy to get through in four sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You just mentioned the injury that you were enduring. What concerns do you have going forward about this? What measures do you plan to take?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, to be honest, during those first three sets, I was really worried, because I felt like a really sharp pain in my rib.

Yeah, I don't know. Right now at the moment it feels good. I've had some treatment, some medication, so hopefully it stays that way and gets even better tomorrow and upcoming match.

Yeah, we'll see.

Q. So just a little more on the injury, did you feel like you were at risk of retiring during the match, or what was your thought process with that?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, I was really close to retiring, to be honest. I was just hanging in there, but I think if I would have lost the third set, I think the chances were really high of me retiring, because yeah, as I said, until the end of that third set, I didn't feel any improvement.

I thought, yeah, 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.

So, yeah, I'm glad that I kept on playing, because eventually it got better. So, yeah, it would have been a shame if I would have retired and then it got better afterwards. Yeah, I was just lucky.

Q. I remember you when you came pretty unknown in Davis Cup playing against Italy. When did you realize that you were a really good prospect, that you had great chances to become a strong player? There was a moment, a click, because you beat somebody that you can explain it?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: I think the first stage was when I won the Australian Open Juniors title. I think that was the first time I thought that I have a real chance, yeah, on the tour, even though it was still juniors, but I felt like I could have a good start.

Then I would say on the pro tour, yeah, maybe somewhere this year. I've had a good start in Australia, getting top 100, and an amazing breakthrough on clay. I mean, if I have to pick one tournament, then I have to go with Madrid, definitely.

Q. Which tournament you said?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Madrid, yeah.

Q. They are still out there playing, so we don't know who your next opponent will be, assuming you're going to be okay. You've played Learner Tien before. What are your thoughts if he's the opponent in the next match?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, he's a hell of a player. He's, I think, playing the best tennis of his life. He's having the highest ranking of his career, as well.

Always really tough to play, especially in these conditions. I think if there is a place where I want to face him, it's on clay somewhere. Not on hard court.

So, yeah, they are still battling out there. We'll see. I would love to play both. I think it's going to be a great match no matter who I'm going to play.

Yeah, right now the focus is more on myself.

Q. Just taking the other possibility, though, Karen, what have you seen in his game even though you haven't played him? What are your thoughts on the challenge he would pose?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, we've practiced here a couple of times together. Yeah, of course, he's a big guy, serving well, heavy groundstrokes, very underrated, in my opinion. Even though he's not seeded here or he dropped a bit in the rankings, he's still, I think, one of the best players in the world right now if he's having a good day.

He's showing that to us all that he's playing really good tennis. Yeah, I think, as I said, it's going to be a tough match no matter who the opponent is going to be.

Q. Was David Goffin sort of your idol when you were young, or there was somebody else not Belgian? Who was the player that you were looking more to imitate?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Goffin, I wouldn't say he was my idol, but he was definitely someone I looked up to as a fellow Belgian. Yeah, he definitely did a lot of great things for Belgian tennis, getting us two times to the Davis Cup Finals, getting, yeah, to the finals of the NITTO ATP Finals. Those are really good results. No. 7 in the world.

I have a lot of admiration for that, but my idol was always Roger when I grew up, yeah.