Alexander Blockx struggled physically during his upset win over Francisco Cerundolo in the round of 16, requiring extensive medical treatment during the match. Given the physical demands of that contest, it is difficult to see him recovering fully and returning at his best level for this quarter-final against Karen Khachanov.
Khachanov, meanwhile, is a seasoned performer with plenty of experience and should have enough quality to capitalise on the situation and continue his strong run.
Khachanov Faces A Rising Challenge From Blockx
- Khachanov is 2–4 in quarterfinal matches at Grand Slam tournaments.
- He has a 2–2 record against higher-ranked opponents this year.
- Blockx has a 2–0 career record in tour-level quarterfinals.
- He has a 32–9 record against players outside the Top 20 this year.
HTH
This will be their first meeting.
Khachanov Survives Tien Battle to Reach Another US Open Quarterfinal
Karen Khachanov secured his place in the quarterfinals at the US Open after defeating Learner Tien in a gruelling five-set battle, 7-5, 4-6, 6-7, 6-1, 6-4. He trailed by a break in the deciding set but fought back strongly to complete the comeback.
The Russian will be relieved with the result after arriving in New York on a four-match losing streak. This is his second US Open quarterfinal, having previously reached this stage in 2022 and converted that run into a semifinal appearance.
Khachanov also struggled for consistency early this year, reaching only two quarterfinals and losing significant ranking points, which pushed him close to dropping outside the Top 50. However, he has regained some of those ranking positions with this run.
He heads into this clash with a 2-4 record in Grand Slam quarterfinals. Both of his victories at this stage came against players ranked outside the Top 20, and he will face another player from that ranking range this week.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Russia |
| Age | Born 21 May 1996 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 50 |
| Career High | No. 8 (15 July 2019) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 56 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 7 |
Blockx Takes His Rapid Rise to Another Level
Alexander Blockx defeated Francisco Cerundolo in four sets to reach the quarterfinals at the US Open, winning 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. He saved 14 of the 17 break points he faced and broke his opponent six times to close out the match.
With this run, Blockx has become the first Belgian man in the Open Era to reach the US Open quarterfinals. He will now look to go even further this week.
His run to the quarterfinals has been particularly impressive, as he had never won multiple main-draw matches at a tour-level hard-court event before this week. He had also won only one Grand Slam main-draw match before this fortnight.
Blockx played two quarterfinals earlier this year and won both, including a victory over Casper Ruud in Madrid. He will now look to maintain his perfect record at this stage and continue his remarkable breakthrough run.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Belgium |
| Age | Born 8 April 2005 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 34 |
| Career High | No. 32 (27 July 2026) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 26 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 0 |