US Open quarter-final ends suddenly as star announces immediate retirement on court
Alexander Blockx’s hopes of winning the US Open are over after he was forced to retire against Karen Khachanov. Blockx had admitted that he was ‘worried’ about his quarter-final match after picking up an injury during his four-set win over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday.
And at 2-3 down in set three, Blockx, who had been receiving treatment regularly, was forced to retire from his last-eight match due to injury. The 2023 Australian Open boys’ champion looked broken as he retired and made his way over to shake hands with the umpire.
Blockx has been hampered by injury throughout the competition. And, on Monday, the 21-year-old had complained of a ‘sharp pain’ in his rib, as well as reporting problems with his ankle and thigh.
Blockx had earlier made history by becoming the first Belgian man to reach the US Open quarter-finals. But after his 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Cerundolo, he admitted: “To be honest with you, from the second game, I started feeling a really sharp pain in my rib. I was really just holding on.
“Even though I won that first set 6-3, it could have been the other way around. He had so many opportunities. Afterwards, the doctor gave me some magical medication, which kept me going.
“And from the end of the third set, I started to feel a lot better again. I barely felt pain. So I think I might use that in two days again!”
Before he added: “Even though there’s a lot of medication in my body right now, I still feel it.” It has been a dramatic couple of days at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park as Carlos Alcaraz’s title defence was ended by Ben Shelton in the latest finish to a match in US Open history.
The Spaniard was sick into a towel and gasping for breath but fought like a champion in a five-set marathon. However, Shelton held his nerve in a dramatic deciding-set tie-break to win 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-3 1-6 7-6 (10-7) in a match which finished at 3.33am local time.
“It’s been a pleasure to come here and compete, playing these kind of matches, being healthy,” Alcaraz said.
It was close, it really was close, so I’m just a little bit disappointed about not getting the win at the end. “But I’m just happy, I’m proud of myself about how I fought. Physically I was really tired, but I found a way to push myself up and physically give extra.”
While Shelton said: “I always say that this is the greatest sports city in the world. This is the greatest stadium in the world.
“I’m just hoping that my best friend and my sister over there don’t have to be at work at 6am, in three hours. It’d be huge from their employers to let them have the day off. Sharing the court with Carlos is an absolute honour and I cherish every moment that I have out here.”
