Belgian Blockx reaches US Open quarter-finals after gritty four-set win

Blockx, a 21-year-old Belgian making his first appearance at the US Open, reached the quarter-finals by beating Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Seeded 28th, he had already stunned fifth-seed Flavio Cobolli in the third round. During the match he received medical treatment for a sharp rib pain, which he said left him “just holding on.”

After each player took a set, the contest was tied at 5-5 in the third when Blockx saved a 0-40 break point, then secured a break to take the set. A tightly contested fourth set saw Blockx capture the decisive break in the final game, prompting an exuberant celebration. His next opponent will be the victor of the unseeded Russian Karen Khachanov versus 14th-seeded American Learner Tien.