Blockx pulls off an epic comeback to reach his first ATP final in Estoril

The ATP 250 Estoril 2026 has already defined a final filled with youth and with two protagonists seeking to make a significant leap forward in their careers. Luca Van Assche and Alexander Blockx will battle for the title this Sunday after resolving two completely different semi-finals, especially highlighted by the incredible comeback by the Belgian.

Van Assche was the first to secure his spot. The Frenchman confirmed the excellent form he has been showing all week and defeated his compatriot Hugo Gaston 6-4, 7-5, maintaining the momentum gained after previously eliminating the top favorite, Andrey Rublev.

Blockx stages a memorable comeback against Darderi

The path to the final for Alexander Blockx was much more dramatic. The young Belgian defeated Luciano Darderi 5-7, 7-6(1), 7-6(5) after overcoming situations that seemed practically irreversible.

Darderi had a lead of 5-2 in the second set, but Blockx refused to give up the match and eventually forced a tiebreak which he won convincingly. Even more surprising was what happened in the deciding set: the Italian took a 4-0 lead, but also failed to close the match which slipped away from him once again in the tiebreak.

The reward for Blockx is immense: he will compete in the first ATP final of his career, confirming with a performance of great character all the potential that has been attributed to him since his junior days.

Estoril will thus witness an unexpected and highly appealing final between two young Europeans with a lot of room for growth. Van Assche has been showing remarkable strength throughout the week, while Blockx arrives buoyed by one of those victories capable of boosting any player's confidence. This Sunday, one of the two will lift the trophy in Portugal.