Alexander Blockx has achieved a major career milestone at the 2026 Estoril Open, booking a spot in his first ATP Tour final. However, his breakthrough was far from smooth sailing. The 21-year-old came close to crashing out in the semifinals, with the tense showdown against Luciano Darderi sparking a moment of frustration that led to an on-court outburst.
Alexander Blockx Survives Estoril Open Scare After On-Court Outburst
No. 4 seed Blockx engaged in a closely contested battle with No. 2 seed Darderi in the semifinals of the ATP 250 event in Estoril. Darderi appeared to be in complete control after clinching the opening set 7-5 and taking a 3-1 lead in the second.
Having fallen behind, Blockx let his frustration boil over when he failed to return the Italian’s serve at 1-3 and furiously smashed his racket on the clay, leaving it destroyed.
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Although Blockx trailed 2-5 in the second set, he fought back from the brink of defeat to force a decider. Before the third set began, the 21-year-old was spotted giving his broken racket to young fans in the stands.
alex giving his smashed racket to some kid😠pic.twitter.com/C2pATwOdLl
— deb (@racketsin) July 25, 2026
In a gesture that caused confusion among tennis fans, Blockx also gave away his wristband and towel before play resumed.
“Is Blockx alright?, The match is not over and he is giving away his towel, his broken racquet, a wristband…,” a fan posted.
Is Blockx alright?, The match is not over and he is giving away his towel, his broken racquet, a wristband… pic.twitter.com/kUaJ7EXx7p
— Del🇪🇺 (@Stroppa_Del) July 25, 2026
“Alexander Blockx is giving stuff from his racket bag to kids in the stands the match is not over yet,” another fan wrote.
Blockx was tested again in the third set, as Darderi also took a 4-2 lead before the Belgian produced another remarkable turnaround to send the match to a deciding tiebreak. He also bounced back from a 0-4 deficit in the tiebreak to claim a 5-7, 7-6(1), 7-6(5) victory after a two-hour, 45-minute battle to advance to his maiden ATP Tour final.
Blockx was delighted to emerge victorious, especially after finding himself on the brink of defeat several times during the match.
“I have no words to describe this match right now. I am happy to have won the match…I should have lost the match like four times today, so I am just grateful to be able to play tomorrow. I don’t care what happens, I’m just lucky to play one more match here,” he said in his post-match interview.
Up next, Alexander Blockx will lock horns with Luca Van Assche in the Estoril Open final, following the Frenchman’s 6-4, 7-5 win over Hugo Gaston in the semifinals. The title clash will mark the pair’s first tour-level encounter.
