ATP Tour

Blockx, tie-break beast, qualifies for Jeddah SFs

Alexander Blockx delivered another emphatic statement on Thursday at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF in Jeddah, where clinched a semi-final berth on his tournament debut.

The 20-year-old Belgian showed spirit under pressure, prevailing in two clutch tie-breaks and racing through to subdue Nishesh Basavareddy 4-3(2), 4-3(8), 4-1 and extend his impressive run. Needing a straight-sets win to qualify for the semi-finals on Thursday, Blockx rose to the moment — saving three set points in a pivotal second-set tie-break before seizing control.

History: the first Belgian to reach the Final 4️⃣#NextGenATPFinals pic.twitter.com/cmB2G24fGE

— Next Gen ATP Finals (@nextgenfinals) December 18, 2025

“I knew about 20 minutes before the match, it appeared on the screen in the warmup room,” Blockx said when asked about needing a straight-sets win. “I’m very happy with winning that second set, I barely got through… I just got luck on my side and in the third set my energy went up."

After firing 24 winners to add to the 30 he struck in his opening win over Justin Engel, the second-seeded Blockx is making his presence felt at the high-octane, innovative showcase in Jeddah. The 6’4” powerhouse has blended explosive groundstrokes with sharp court craft, even flashing defensive brilliance against Basavareddy en route to becoming the first Belgian to reach the final four in tournament history.

Earlier, Prizmic notched the first win of his debut campaign with an electric performance over spirited 18-year-old Justin Engel.

The third-seeded Prizmic earned a 4-1, 2-4, 4-3(3), 4-1 with an eye-catching blend of power and precision. Having fallen to Basavareddy in four sets on Wednesday, the 20-year-old Croatian is now 1-1 in the Red Group and will aim to secure qualification for the semi-finals when he faces Blockx, whom he beat in the Lugano Challenger earlier this season.

After a sluggish start to his debut campaign at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, Dino Prizmic is up and running thanks to an electric performance on Thursday afternoon.

The 20-year-old Croatian fended off a spirited Justin Engel 4-1, 2-4, 4-3(3), 4-1 with an eye-catching blend of power and precision. Having fallen to Nishesh Basavareddy in four sets on Wednesday, the third-seeded Prizmic is now 1-1 in the Red Group and will aim to secure qualification for the semi-finals when he faces fellow debutant Alexander Blockx on Friday.

“Of course [it was a must win] if I want to stay and fight for the semi-finals,” said Prizmic. “I’m very happy with my performance, I am getting better with every match. Today was a good match for me.

“The conditions are very fast, so I just tried to play better [than Wednesday] and to use fast footwork. From yesterday, I’m very happy about the performance and I think it will be even better tomorrow.”

As well as delivering a selection of squeaky-clean drop shots, Prizmic sent the fans into a frenzy with a blistering backhand winner on the run to earn the crucial break in the fourth set. He let out a mighty roar knowing that he still has plenty more to give in his Jeddah debut.

Both of Prizmic’s 2025 ATP Challenger Tour titles have come on clay, his preferred surface, but on Thursday he showed just how effective his grit and elasticity can be on indoor hard courts.

Basvareddy, who is one of two returners (also Learner Tien), could qualify for the semi-finals if he defeats Blockx on Thursday.