Blockx rocking to beat champion Ruud and reach Madrid Open semi-finals

Alexander Blockx’s dream tally successful Madrid continues pinch nan 21-year-old Belgian beating nan defending champion Casper Ruud 6-4, 6-4 successful nan quarter-finals of nan Madrid Open connected Thursday.

The 69th-ranked emerging talent had not won an ATP Tour lucifer connected clay earlier his third-round tally successful Monte Carlo 3 weeks ago. He has besides defeated nan third-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime and Francisco Cerundolo connected his measurement to nan past 4 successful nan Spanish capital.

“To beryllium honest, I’m conscionable happy pinch being here,” Blockx said. “Even winning my first lucifer here. I hardly escaped successful nan first information and I was happy astir that already. Semi-finals is thing I wouldn’t person moreover dreamed of to statesman with.”

Blockx became nan 4th lowest-ranked subordinate to scope nan men’s past 4 successful Madrid, according to nan ATP. He is nan 2nd man calved successful 2005 aliases later to scope nan semis astatine a Masters 1000 aft Jakub Mensik, who won successful Miami successful 2025.

“I’m proud of really I’ve played these past mates of matches,” Blockx said. “The conditions suit maine good here. I consciousness for illustration it’s clay which is slow, truthful I person clip to settee and deed my shots, spell for my shots. At nan aforesaid time, it’s rather accelerated pinch nan altitude and nan power sometimes. It’s nan cleanable operation for me.”

Blockx is 4-2 against apical 20 opponents, pinch each 4 of his wins coming this month. “I thought from nan first crippled I was hitting my shot rather well, and I made [lots of] returns,” he said. “Once I sewage my first game, I was really into nan match.”

With nan loss, Rudd exits nan apical 20 for nan first clip since May 2021.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz was backmost astatine nan Madrid Open connected Thursday – but only arsenic a spectator to watch younger relative Jaime compete successful an under-16 tournament.

The world No 2 was successful nan stands astatine Court 7 arsenic Jaime Alcaraz defeated chap Spaniard Pol Mas 6-3, 6-3. Other relatives were connected manus to watch nan tourney debut of nan 14-year-old Jaime.

Carlos Alcaraz watches younger relative Jaime compete successful Madrid’s under-16 tournament. Photograph: Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Carlos withdrew from nan Madrid Open because of a correct wrist injury, which will forestall him from defending his French Open title successful 3 weeks.

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