US Open 2026: can a Belgian man win the American major for the first time?

This is what you call a surprise out of nowhere, one nobody saw coming — not even GoldenVegas Sport, the home of tennis betting.

But on Monday 7 September 2026, Alexander Blockx became the first Belgian man in history to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open. A run built on two weeks of courage, control and physical resilience, from a 21-year-old who had won just one match in the main draw of a Grand Slam until now.

Three matches from the title, here is what awaits the Antwerp native between now and Sunday if he is to be crowned king of New York and lift the trophy the tennis world covets.

Only Roland Garros had gone his way

And yet the fourth round against Francisco Cerundolo came within a whisker of falling apart. As early as the second game, our compatriot felt a sharp pain in his ribs.

"I was really very close to retiring. After that the doctor gave me a magic pill that let me carry on. I felt much better by the end of the third set, almost no pain at all," he said in his press conference.

Pure delight, and it comes off the back of Roland Garros 2026, where he got through the first round before retiring. This time the Antwerp man pushed through the pain.

Can he spring another surprise in the quarter-finals against Karen Khachanov on Wednesday and defy the bookmakers, who make the Russian the favourite?

The first Belgian man to win a Grand Slam?

One thing in his favour: Khachanov is far from an unknown quantity to Blockx. The two have already trained together since landing in the United States.

"He hits heavy from the back of the court. He is a very good player. In my view he is hugely underrated. Even if he is not seeded here and has slipped a little in the rankings, he is still one of the best in the world," the Belgian says.

He now belongs in that bracket himself. And the odds favouring his opponent could swing his way in in-play betting.

Having won the Australian Open junior title in 2023, can he become the first Belgian man to win the American major, and with it the first to take a Grand Slam title? The answer comes on Sunday on Arthur Ashe.

Play responsibly: a BetXtra of 25 per cent is available on every in-play bet placed on the US Open. A further BetXtra of 50 per cent applies to a tennis multiple with at least three selections.