Blockx Digs Deep in Cap Cana’s Sweltering Battle
Exhausted from back-to-back marathons, Alexander Blockx summoned raw grit to outlast Coleman Wong under the Caribbean sun, advancing to the Cap Cana Challenger semifinals amid a season of rising stakes.
Under a punishing Caribbean sun in sweltering humidity, Alexander Blockx dug deep Friday to reach the semi-finals at the ATP Challenger 175 event in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic. The 20-year-old Belgian, fresh off a three-hour marathon less than 24 hours earlier, turned physical drain into determination against Coleman Wong. What started as a wobbly opener became a testament to endurance, with Blockx’s heavy topspin forehands finding deeper lines as the match wore on.
The reigning Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up rallied past Coleman Wong 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a bruising two-hour, 30-minute battle that tested both players to their physical limits. Wong’s flat backhands sliced crosscourt early, forcing errors on the hard courts where low bounces amplified every misstep. Blockx steadied with a one–two pattern, serving wide to jam the lefty before unleashing inside-in forehands that pinned him back.
“This morning when I woke up I was like, ‘It cannot possibly be any more difficult than yesterday’, but I think this was one of my toughest matches I’ve ever played physically,” said the 20-year-old. “The first set I wasn’t feeling well with the heat after playing three hours yesterday. The second set was so long, every point was so long. I just kept fighting.”
Blockx will NEVER back down
The Belgian prevails in a 2.5 hour epic 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 for a Cap Cana semi-final spot!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/tl8z7xYFZg— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 13, 2026
Fighting through fatigue’s grip
Blockx improved to 12-2 this season at ATP Challenger level, his consistency shining through the haze. He claimed the Canberra Challenger to open 2026 and reached the final in Lille, France, last month, blending power on varied surfaces. Ranked No. 89 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, the four-time Challenger champion eyes surpassing his career-high No. 94 with another deep run here.
Up next, he faces Argentine Mariano Navone, who beat second seed Valentin Royer 6-2, 7-6(5). Navone’s compact strokes could force shorter points, testing whether Blockx’s adjustments—deeper returns and varied slice serves—hold in the decider. The Belgian’s sprawl on the court after victory captured the relief, a raw moment amid the tour’s grind.
Marathon echoes across challengers
In other action at the Republica Dominicana Open - Copa Cap Cana, Australian Adam Walton upset Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the last four. His booming serves overwhelmed the Serb’s returns in the third, turning defense into dominance on the sun-baked hard courts. Mattia Bellucci downed fifth seed Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-2, mixing paces to disrupt the Frenchman’s baseline rhythm.
Marathon matches were a theme at ATP Challenger level Friday. Briton Billy Harris survived a three-hour, 20-minute clash against Adrian Mannarino at the Arizona Tennis Classic, the longest in tournament history. He escaped 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 by incorporating underspin slices in the decider, slowing the pace to break the Frenchman’s flow.
3 hours and 20 minutes
Billy Harris takes an epic battle against No.3 seed Mannarino 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 to reach the @aztennisclassic semifinals!#ATPChallenger | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/bnE1gwzn9r— ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 13, 2026
Harris next plays Ethan Quinn, the American who celebrated his 22nd birthday Thursday by beating Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(4), 7-6(7). Quinn trailed 0/5 in the second-set tiebreak before reeling off seven of nine points, his composure fueling inside-out winners on the grippy surface. Top seed Corentin Moutet, No. 33 in the PIF ATP Rankings, overcame Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6(5), 6-4, his lefty spin setting up drop shots for the semifinals.
The lefty awaits two-time champion Nuno Borges or American Marcos Giron, where Phoenix’s speed might amplify his variety against baseline power. These battles, from Cap Cana’s humidity to Arizona’s desert warmth, reveal the circuit’s toll—tactical shifts and mental resets defining who climbs. For Blockx, this win reinforces his surge, positioning him to channel Friday’s fight into a title push against Navone.
Season’s pressures fuel breakthroughs
Blockx’s path mirrors the rising stars’ tightrope, where two losses in 14 Challenger matches build points and poise. The Cap Cana heat compounded yesterday’s effort, blurring strategy into survival, yet his comeback echoed the tenacity from his Next Gen run. In Phoenix, Harris’s endurance over Mannarino and Quinn’s tiebreak grit underscore the same mental edges.
Walton’s upset of Kecmanovic highlights how big serves tip scales on fast hard courts, while Moutet’s progress blends spin with savvy. As semifinals dawn, Blockx stands at a pivot—converting this “toughest match ever” into momentum could crack his ranking barrier, validating a 2026 narrative of promise forged in sweat and resolve.
