Alexander Blockx reveals the injury that forced him to withdraw from the US Open

Alexander Blockx concluded his extraordinary adventure at the US Open 2026 in the most bitter way possible. The Belgian, a major revelation of the tournament, had to withdraw against Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals when he was losing 6-2, 7-5, and 3-2. His body had been warning him for several days, and after overcoming Francisco Cerúndolo in the round of 16, he had already acknowledged that he was close to retiring from that match.

Blockx was struggling with rib and leg issues before a new setback appeared during the second set: a blocked nerve in his back that further limited his movements. “I think my body simply said enough today. As I said two days ago, I was really struggling physically. Against Francisco, I was on the verge of retiring, and today it just got worse. I was still feeling my ribs a lot and also my leg. Then, in the second set, a nerve in my back got blocked, which made it even harder to move.”

“I didn't want to risk losing the entire season”

The Belgian explained that for much of the match, he was more focused on finding a way to move without pain than on his opponent. He even had to modify his movements and serve to protect himself. “I felt that in the last two matches I was fighting more against myself mentally to stay on the court. I was just trying to survive. To be honest, I’m proud of how I played, even though physically I was far from my best level.”

The withdrawal came when Khachanov managed to break his serve in the third set. Blockx preferred not to take any further risks. “I withdrew because I felt I was getting worse. I couldn't land without feeling pain, without noticing my back and ribs. I just didn't want to risk making it worse and missing the entire season,” he added.

Despite the outcome, the Belgian leaves New York having reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time. “I definitely got further than I expected. Now I understand how physical Grand Slams are. It has been a really good experience, but I always want to do better. I will learn from this and improve physically,” he concluded.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Alexander Blockx desvela la lesión que le ha hecho retirarse del US Open