From the heat of the Nadal Academy courts to the glass of Jeddah’s spotlight, two teenagers are rewriting the script for what comes next in men’s tennis. Episode 2 of Journey to Jeddah pulls back the curtain on a year that fused family ties, mentorship, and a hunger for big moments into a single season. On one side, Martin Landaluce blends a world-class pedigree with a quiet resolve that has seen him graduate from Us Open junior glory to a steady climb on the Challenger circuit. On the other, Alexander Blockx translates instinct into aggression, and a long partnership with a coach who has stood beside him for years.
In Mallorca, Landaluce trains with Rafael Nadal’s team and taps into a mentorship that stretches beyond forehands. Blockx’s path is no accident either; a boy who watched his brother now acts with his own voice, pushing through pressure to chase the Next Gen ATP Finals title in December.
Blockx’s Early Spark And A Longstanding Partnership
Blockx remembers sitting on the bench as a child, watching his brother and wondering how to join the contest. He finally asked to try, and the moment he began striking with intent, the court answered back with a rhythm that felt inevitable: speed, precision, and a fearless forehand that rarely yields.
That rhythm found a steady heartbeat in Philippe Cassiers, Blockx’s coach for 16 years. They operate like a small company focused on growth, rarely lost in chatter, always aligned on the same destination. The bond is part coaching, part family, and it has shaped every breakthrough.
Blockx is quick for his height and uses that speed to attack with purpose. He says the serve has improved and the backhand now offers traction to press opponents off the baseline. “The key is to be as aggressive as you can,” he told reporters.
Two ATP Challenger titles this season have solidified Blockx as a persistent threat. His ascent has earned him a spot at the Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, a stage that tests young talent against the sport’s best in December’s showdown in Jeddah.
“On this first court is where I practised with [Nadal] several times,” Landaluce said, looking over the courts in Mallorca. “He destroyed me. He hits very hard when practicing, very hard. But I had a great time.”
Martin Landaluce
Landaluce’s growth is inseparable from Nadal’s influence, on and off the court. He learned not only shot-making but the habit of asking hard questions with no filter, a trait he credits to Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and longtime coach, whose conversations go beyond footwork.
Family remains the anchor. His father Alejandro remains an ITF Seniors Tour competitor, and his siblings share the same competitive spark. The family unit turns training into a collective effort, a daily reminder that success in tennis often travels in packs rather than as a solitary pursuit.
There is a funny story that my dad, my sister, my brother and myself won the same tournament in the same week in different categories, he recalls. “I think that is very, very difficult and rare in the history of tennis.”
Landaluce’s Madrid To Mallorca: Mentors On And Off The Court
Landaluce’s journey from a US Open boys’ champion to the Rafa Nadal Academy in Mallorca traces a map of mentorship, geography, and hard-won growth. The academy’s routines, like clockwork, reinforce the patience needed to convert potential into daily performance on the tour.
Madrid provided the first spark, but the move to Mallorca gave Landaluce a home where age and experience collide productively. There, the daily rhythm of practice, video analysis, and candid conversations with Nadal’s circle build the mental endurance required to chase big stages.
Conversations with Toni Nadal are described as direct and unfiltered. Landaluce says, “We talk about things normally no one asks you,” and he adds that the honesty is part of the education he values most in his development.
Family remains the anchor. His sister, brother, and father all contribute to a culture of competition that keeps training honest and the weekends memorable, transforming small wins into a broader ambition for professional longevity on tour.
There is a funny story that my dad, my sister, my brother and myself won the same tournament in the same week in different categories, he recalls. “I think that is very, very difficult and rare in the history of tennis.”
Next Gen Finals And The Shared Path To Jeddah
Episode 2 frames their dual ascent as a two-pronged story: Blockx building a weaponized forehand and Landaluce absorbing a blueprint for resilience from Nadal’s team. Together they symbolize a new generation that measures progress in matches won and lessons earned on the road.
Blockx and Landaluce are not isolated stories; they are part of a broader shift where young players train in European hubs, cross paths with icons, and ride momentum into the finals.
The Next Gen Finals, scheduled for December in Jeddah, represent more than a title. It is a proving ground where the sport tests the readiness of the sport’s brightest hopes to handle real-time pressure, global travel, and the business of professional tennis in a single, high-stakes week.
As the season narrows, Blockx and Landaluce carry not just trophies but a shared philosophy: growth comes from steady work, honest coaching, and the courage to seize opportunities when they arrive on a court under bright lights.
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