‘One of my hardest matches ever’, Alexander Blockx fights for Cap Cana Challenger SFs | ATP Tour
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‘One of my hardest games ever’, Blockx fights for the Cap Cana Challenger SFs
Billy Harris won the three-hour, 20-minute race in Phoenix
March 14, 2026
MercaFilms
Alexander Blockx celebrates his hard-fought victory in the quarter-finals on Friday at the Cap Cana Challenger.
By ATP staff
Under a punishing Caribbean sun in sweltering humidity, Alexander Blockx dug in Friday to reach the semifinals of the ATP Challenger 175 event in Cap Cana, Dominican Republic.
The Next Gen ATP Finals runner-up outlasted Coleman Wong 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a grueling two-hour, 30-minute battle that tested both players to their physical limits. Blockx, who ran a three-hour marathon less than 24 hours earlier, celebrated his quarter-final victory with a free fall.
“This morning when I woke up I said, ‘It can’t be as hard as yesterday’, but I think this was the hardest match I’ve ever played physically,” said the 20-year-old. “The first set I was not feeling well because of the heat after playing for three hours yesterday. The second set was very long, every point was very long. I kept fighting.”
Blockx WILL NOT Back Down 😱
The Belgian wins in an epic 2.5 hour 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 semi-final at Cap Cana!#ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/tl8z7xYFZg
– ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 13, 2026
Blockx improved to 12-2 this season at the ATP Challenger level. He won the Canberra Challenger on his debut in 2026 and reached the final in Lille, France last month. In No. 89 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, the Belgian is in good shape to surpass his career high of No. 94.
Next up for the four-time Challenger champion is Argentina’s Mariano Navone, who beat second-seeded Valentin Royer 6-2, 7-6(5).
In another match at the Republica Dominicana Open – Copa Cap Cana, Australia’s Adam Walton defeated Miomir Kecmanovic 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 to reach the final four. Mattia Bellucci defeated fifth seed Raphael Collignon 6-4, 6-2.
Briton Harris wins longest match in Phoenix Challenger history
Marathon matches were the theme at the ATP Challenger level on Friday. In addition to Blockx’s hard-fought win, Briton Billy Harris survived a three-hour, 20-minute match against Adrian Mannarino at the Arizona Tennis Classic.
3️⃣ hours and 2️⃣0️⃣ minutes 🤯
Billy Harris fights an epic battle against No.3 seed Mannarino 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 to reach @aztennisclassic semi-finalist!#ATPChallenger | @the_LTA pic.twitter.com/bnE1gwzn9r
– ATP Challenger (@ATPChallenger) March 13, 2026
In the longest match in tournament history, Harris escaped the third-seeded Frenchman 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 to reach the semifinals in Phoenix, where he will next play Ethan Quinn. The American, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday, turning 22, beat Benjamin Bonzi 7-6(4), 7-6(7). Quinn trailed 0/5 at the second break before winning seven of the next nine points to go ahead.
Top seed Corentin Moutet, No. 33 in the PIF ATP Rankings, defeated Nikoloz Basilashvili 7-6(5), 6-4. The lefty awaits two-time champion Nuno Borges or American Marcos Giron in the semi-finals.
