Karen Khachanov is the favourite here but Alexander Blockx has been one of the biggest improvers in 2026.
I am taking a chance on the Belgian playing through the pain, because if he goes down it will likely be a retirement.
| Karen Khachanov | Alexander Blockx | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Russia | Belgium |
| Age | 30 (21 May 1996) | 21 (8 April 2005) |
| Height | 6'6" (1.98m) | 6'4" (193 cm) |
| Plays | Right-Handed | Right-Handed |
| Ranking | 50 | 34 |
| Career High | 8 (July 2019) | 32 (July 2026) |
| ATP Tour Titles | 7 | 0 |
| 2026 ATP Tour Titles | 0 | 0 |
| Grand Slam Titles | 0 | 0 |
| US Open Best Result | Semi-Finals (2022) | First Appearance |
HTH
This will be the first match between Karen Khachanov and Alexander Blockx.
Khachanov Returns to Form
Karen Khachanov was in the Top 20 for the majority of the year-old, dropping out before Wimbledon. He lost four straight matches coming into the US Open to sink to World No.50.
The Russian got off to a great start in New York, thrashing Roman Andres Burruchaga 6-3 6-0 6-1 and coming back to beat Felix Auger Aliassime 6-7 6-3 6-2 6-2.
The 30-year-old eased past Benjamin Bonzi 6-3 6-2 6-4 and overcame a big scare in the quarter-finals, a 7-5 4-6 6-7 6-1 6-4 victory over Learner Tien. He won 44% of his 2nd serves, saved 9/14 break points and will have to do better against Alexander Blockx.
Khachanov talked about overturning his form: “When you are not playing well or not having good results, you have to try to stay ready for the next one. I was getting more fit. I was practising quite a lot and look, it paid off. It’s paying off slowly.”
Blockx Playing Through Injury
Alexander Blockx has climbed from 115 to 26 in the rankings this year. He beat three Top 20 players in Madrid before a semi-final defeat to Alexander Zverev.
The 21-year-old lost the Estoril final but couldn’t match that achievement on hard courts. He exited in the third round in Montreal and Cincinnati.
The Belgian cruised past Tomas Barrios Vera 6-3 6-4 6-2 at the US Open and had few problems in the second round, beating Marco Trungelliti 6-3 6-2 3-6 6-1.
Blockx flew home to beat 5th seed Flavio Cobolli 6-7 6-3 6-0 6-3, winning 62% of his 2nd serves and saving 5/7 break points. He was brave in a 6-3 4-6 7-5 7-5 victory over Francisco Cerundolo, saving 14/17 break points.
The youngster revealed he needed painkillers to win the fourth round clash: “From the second game I started feeling really sharp in my rib. I was just holding on to be honest.”
“Even though I won that first set 6-3, it could have been the other way round. Afterwards, the doctor gave me some magical medication and that kept me going and from the end of the third set I started to feel a lot better again. I barely felt pain.”
How to Watch Karen Khachanov vs Alexander Blockx Live
- Event: 2026 US Open
- Round: Quarter-Finals
- Date: Wednesday 9 September
The Karen Khachanov vs Alexander Blockx match at the 2026 US Open is available to stream live for registered users on Stake.
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- Create an Account: Visit Stake.com via our official link to open an account.
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- Locate the Match: Go to the Tennis tab under Live Events and select Karen Khachanov vs Alexander Blockx.
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