Americans Brandon Nakashima and Martin Damm will look for spots in the Madrid Masters 1000 third round on Saturday. Standing in their ways are Alexander Blockx and Jakub Mensik, respectively.
(28) Brandon Nakashima vs. Alexander Blockx
Surprisingly, Nakashima and Blockx will already be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in round two of the Mutua Madrid Open on Saturday. Blockx has not been around for too long, but he is no stranger to Nakashima — and the Belgian’s past history is not good. He lost 6-1, 6-2 at the 2023 Danderyd Challenger but turned in a far more encouraging effort last summer in Cincinnati, where Nakashima survived a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5) thriller.
Blockx has made significant strides since then, climbing to No. 69 in the world. The 21-year-old has now advanced at least one round at three consecutive ATP-level events and has also reached two Challenger finals in 2026 (one title, one runner-up finish). Blockx beat Cristian Garin 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 on Thursday, while Nakashima earned an opening bye as the 28th seed. The American is in mediocre form right now and has never been at his best on clay, so this is a great opportunity for Blockx.
Pick: Blockx in 3
(Q) Martin Damm vs. (23) Jakub Mensik
Damm is another rising star, albeit not as far along in his progression as Blockx. The 22-year-old registers at No. 126 in the world and is certainly making a charge toward the top 100. He has won five main-tour matches in 2026, including a semifinal showing in Montpellier and Thursday’s 7-6(7), 6-4 victory over Alexei Popyrin.
Up next for Damm on Saturday is a first-ever showdown against Mensik, who is 27th in the rankings and sports a 15-6 record so far this season. However, he has been dealing with an abdominal injury and has not yet played on clay. This is a very dangerous match for Mensik, as Damm is 6’8” and wields a booming serve that is lethal at high altitude — plus the American has already played (and won) three matches in Madrid. Mensik is the more well-rounded player with more clay-court experience, but this is not going to be easy for the 23rd seed.
Pick: Mensik in 3