A quarter-final cut short
Karen Khachanov is through to the US Open semi-finals. The unseeded Russian was leading 6-2, 7-5, 3-2 when Alexander Blockx threw in the towel. The Belgian, the No 28 seed, had already taken several medical timeouts.
Blockx was playing his first Grand Slam quarter-final. He had picked up a rib injury in his fourth-round win over Francisco Cerundolo and had been swallowing painkillers just to get through it. On Wednesday at Flushing Meadows, the pain spread across his upper body. He dropped serve in the third set, then called it quits.
“I felt like I was in control from the start, and then I could see him suffering more and more. It’s a strange feeling,” Khachanov said. “He was in pain and I didn’t want to shout ‘Come on’, but I had to keep my energy up. I wish him a speedy recovery.”
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Three years in the waiting
Khachanov is back in the final four of a major for the first time since 2023. It is his third Grand Slam semi-final, after the US Open in 2022 and the Australian Open in 2023. He has still never reached a final.
Nothing about this run looked likely. The Russian had not made it past the third round in the first three majors of the year and arrived in New York with 16 wins and 18 defeats in 2026. Since then, he has beaten three ranked players in four rounds: third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime in round two, 14th seed Learner Tien in the last 16, and then Blockx.
The numbers tell the story. Both men landed 55% of their first serves. Khachanov won 89% of the points behind his, compared with 71% for Blockx. He saved both break points he faced and converted four of his six chances against the 21-year-old Belgian’s serve.
Zverev or van de Zandschulp
His opponent will come from the clash between top seed Alexander Zverev and unseeded Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp. Khachanov has three wins and six defeats against the German. Against the Dutchman, he leads two wins to one.
“Once you’re in the semi-finals, you’re thinking about the next step,” he added. “I’ll watch Zverev against Botic, get ready for whoever comes through and do my best, as always.”
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