Challengers: Belgium's Blockx Bags Kobe Crown

Alexander Blockx has won the Hyogo Noah Challenger. The Belgian teenager comfortably overcame Jurij Rodionov 6-3 6-1 on the indoor centre court at the Miki Disaster Prevention complex in Kobe on Sunday in a mere fifty-six minutes to claim his first challenger title.

Blockx, who entered the week ranked the world number 249, had taken the scalps of three Tennis Asia podcast follows on his way to the final, dispatching Kasidit Samrej in Round 1 and then, after accounting for French veteran Constan Lestienne in Round 2, the 19-year-old came through a tough three-setter against Yosuke Watanuki in the quarter finals.

His biggest scalp would come in the semi-finals where Blockx faced second-seed Taro Daniel. After racing through the first set 6-1, the second was tighter, going to the tie-break, which the Belgian would win 7-2.

While Kobe marks a first success for the up-and-coming Blockx at Challenger level, he was already on plenty of radars having won the Boys Singles at the 2023 Australian Open. In earlier events on the current swing, Blockx was beaten by Nicolas Moreno de Alboran in both Seoul (round of 16) and Matsuyama (Semi Finals).

Earlier in the tournament, top seeded Bu Yunchaokete only got through one round, with his win over Elias Ymer swiftly followed by defeat to eventual finalist Rodionov in straight sets in the round of 16.

Yasutaka Uchiyama made it to the quarter-finals, where he fell to compatriot Daniel. Sho Shimabukuro also exited at that stage, another victim of Rodionov after wins over Coleman Wong and Li Tu in the opening two rounds.

The final Asia Challenger swing of the year moves on to its penultimate round Yokohama this week where Mattia Bellucci is the number one seed for the Keio Challenger. Should Blockx choose to try to maintain his momentum, he is slated to face a qualifier in the opening round. Young Japanese wildcard Lennon Roark Jones has drawn an intriguing first round match up with Coleman Wong.