Blockx, the 21-year-old Belgian, stuns defending champion Ruud to reach Madrid Open semifinals

Key facts

• Alexander Blockx beat defending champion Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the Madrid Open quarter-finals.
• Blockx is the fourth lowest-ranked player to reach the men's last four in Madrid.
• He is the second man born in 2005 or later to reach a Masters 1000 semifinal, after Jakub Mensik.
• Blockx has four wins against top 20 opponents, all coming this month.
• Ruud will drop out of the top 20 next week for the first time since May 2021.
• Blockx hit 53% of his groundstrokes from more than 2 meters behind the baseline, compared to his 33% average.

A dream run in Madrid

Alexander Blockx’s improbable run at the Madrid Open continued on Thursday as the 21-year-old Belgian defeated the defending champion Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. The world No. 69 had not won an ATP Tour match on clay before his third-round appearance in Monte Carlo three weeks ago. Now he finds himself in the semifinals of a Masters 1000 event, having also knocked out third seed Félix Auger-Aliassime and Francisco Cerúndolo along the way. “To be honest, I’m just happy with being here,” Blockx said. “Even winning my first match here. I barely escaped in the first round and I was happy about that already. Semi-finals is something I wouldn’t have even dreamed of to begin with.”

Thriving on the big stage

Blockx, a 6-foot-4 Belgian from Antwerp, has embraced the spacious conditions of the Manolo Santana Stadium. He hit 53% of his groundstrokes from more than 2 meters behind the baseline, well above his season average of 33%. This tactical adjustment, combined with his powerful groundstrokes and deft lobs, left Ruud struggling to find answers. “I really couldn’t find a big weakness or hole in his game,” Ruud said. Blockx’s break in the second set came from a down-the-line backhand passing shot from deep in the court that nearly resembled a hard lob.

A clay conversion

Blockx admitted he had little confidence on clay until this month. “I never had too much confidence on clay in the last couple of years, but I think I cannot say that anymore with the results I’m doing,” he said. His earlier success this year came on hard courts, where he won two ATP Challenger events and reached the semifinals of another. The Madrid conditions, which combine slow clay with altitude and heat, have proved ideal for his game. “The conditions suit me well here,” Blockx said. “I feel like it’s clay which is slow, so I have time to settle and hit my shots, go for my shots. At the same time, it’s quite fast with the altitude and the heat sometimes. It’s the perfect combination for me.”

Ruud's fall and wider implications

For Ruud, the defeat means the Norwegian will drop out of the top 20 next week for the first time since May 2021. Blockx’s victory also caught the attention of top players. Jannik Sinner had warned the day before: “We cannot forget also about Blockx, for example. He’s a bit under the radar, but he is an incredible player.” Blockx’s run has been built on a series of upsets. He started by beating lucky loser Cristian Garín, then dispatched four consecutive seeded players: Brandon Nakashima (28), Auger-Aliassime (3), Cerúndolo (16) and Ruud (12).

What comes next

Blockx will face an opponent yet to be determined in the semifinals. He is the fourth lowest-ranked player to reach the men’s last four in Madrid.man born in 2005 or later to reach a Masters 1000 semifinal, after Jakub Mensik, who won in Miami earlier this year. “I’m proud of how I’ve played these past couple of matches,” Blockx said. “I thought from the first game I was hitting my ball quite well, and I made [lots of] returns. Once I got my first game, I was really into the match.”

The bottom line

• Alexander Blockx, ranked 69th, defeated defending champion Casper Ruud in straight sets to reach the Madrid Open semifinals.
• Blockx had never won a clay ATP match before this month; his run includes wins over four seeded players.
• He thrives on big courts, hitting over half his groundstrokes from deep behind the baseline.
• Ruud will fall out of the top 20 for the first time in nearly four years.
• Blockx is the second player born in 2005 or later to reach a Masters 1000 semifinal.
• The Belgian credits Madrid's unique conditions — slow clay with altitude and heat — for suiting his game.