"Feel more free in my head to try things I maybe wouldn’t usually do": Alexander Blockx continues breakthrough week in Madrid
ATPTuesday, 28 April 2026 at 08:44
Alexander Blockx continued his breakthrough run on the clay courts of Madrid with the biggest win of his career, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7-6, 6-3 to reach yet another Masters 1000 round of 16, where he will face Francisco Cerúndolo.
Speaking after the match, Blockx reflected on what it meant to secure his first victory over a top-five opponent.
“Yeah, thank you very much. It was a special win today, my first top five win, against Felix,” he said on Tennis Channel. “He’s an amazing player and an amazing guy off the court as well, so it’s a big privilege to have shared the court with him. And to win makes it even better.”
The performance was built around a dominant serving display, with Blockx winning 83 percent of his first-serve points and never being broken, something he believes is central to unlocking the rest of his game.
“I would definitely say so. When I serve well, I feel more free in my head to try things I maybe wouldn’t usually do,” he explained. “From the beginning, actually the whole tournament, I’ve been serving really well.”
He was immediately tested, saving a break point in the opening game as Auger-Aliassime came out firing.
“Today, before the match, I knew the serve was going to be key. I saved a break point in the first game because he started very aggressively, really going for his shots. After that, I just held onto my serve throughout the first set.”
The turning point came in the tiebreak, where Blockx capitalised on a few errors from his opponent while producing under pressure himself.
“In the tiebreak, he made a few mistakes and I hit some important shots. That took a bit of weight off my shoulders, and in the second set I started playing some of the best tennis of my life, I think.”
With confidence flowing, the 20-year-old leaned fully into the moment.
“I felt like I couldn’t lose confidence in my serve or my shots, I was just enjoying the moment.”
Blockx is part of a wave of young players making an impact on the ATP Tour, and he admitted that the success of his peers is both noticeable and motivating.
“Yeah, definitely. We get along very well with each other,” he said. “Rafa, for example, I hadn’t really seen him play before the Next Gen Finals. I knew he was very good in juniors, he won the US Open and was world No. 1, then he went to college. In Jeddah was the first time I saw him play and I was really amazed by his level and his shots.”
“You could already see the potential that he was going to be an amazing player, and he’s showing that now. Off the court, he’s a great guy too, really kind and down to earth.”
Those connections extend further back, particularly with players he has grown up competing against.
“With Dino, we go way back, we’ve known each other since we were 10. We played the Winter and Summer Cups in Europe when we were kids, so we have history already.”
One of many emerging
More broadly, Blockx highlighted the positive environment among the sport’s emerging talents.
“I get along well with everyone. It’s nice to see them doing well, it gives me motivation too.”
Even watching matches can spark inspiration, as he admitted after seeing highlights from another next-generation clash.
“For example, I watched some of Rafa against João yesterday, just the highlights. What a fun match. They were hitting forehands like crazy. That motivated me as well. I thought, ‘Okay, today I’m going to try that too, just go for my forehands.’”
He added, “It’s healthy motivation between us. It’s fun, and I think you need that when young players come onto the tour.”
As his profile continues to grow, Blockx is also picking up a nickname on tour, one that he says came courtesy of a fellow professional.
“Yeah, sure, he was the one who came up with it, apparently, so let’s give him the credit,” he said, referring to ‘Block X’. “I think we can come up with something more intimidating, but for now that’s the nickname that’s used the most.”
For now, the focus remains firmly on his tennis, with another major opportunity awaiting in the next round against Cerúndolo. But if performances like this continue, both his results and his nickname may soon carry even greater weight.
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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