Next Gen hotshot Alexander Blockx dethrones Casper Ruud for first Masters semifinal

Alexander Blockx became the latest Next Gen star to enjoy an ATP breakthrough at the Mutua Madrid Open, dethroning Casper Ruud, 6-4, 6-4 to reach his first Masters 1000 semifinal.

"I'm just happy with being here," Blockx said on court after the match. "Even winning my first match here, I barely escaped in the first round and I was happy about that already. The semifinals is something I wouldn't have even dreamed of to begin with. I'm proud of how I'm playing the last couple of matches."

Blockx finished runner-up to Learner Tien at the Next Gen ATP Finals last fall, and the 21-year-old Belgian has taken those talents to the next level at the Caja Magica, scoring his third consecutive Top 20 victory after one hour and 36 minutes on Manolo Santana Stadium.

A former Australian Open junior champion, Blockx began the 2026 season with an ATP Challenger title over Spanish teen Rafael Jodar and continued that momentum into the clay-court season, earning his first Top 20 victory over Flavio Cobolli en route to the third round of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

Unseeded in Madrid, the Belgian has amassed an impressive run of victories, defeating former world No. 17 Cristian Garin in a three-set first round before planting a trio of seeds to reach the quarterfinals: No. 28 Brandon Nakashima, No. 3 Félix Auger-Aliassime—his first Top 10 win—and No. 16 Francisco Cerundolo.

"The conditions suit me well here," Blockx said. "It's clay, which is slow, which I have time to settle and hit my shots. At the same time, it's quite fast with the altitude and the heat. I think it's a perfect combination."

Meanwhile, Ruud was looking to recapture the form that saw him win his first Masters 1000 title in Madrid last spring, putting together an under-the-radar run before saving match points to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in a dramatic fourth-round clash.

In a half of the draw that features neither world No. 1 Jannik Sinner nor No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz—who is out of Madrid and the remaining clay-court swing due to a wrist injury—opportunity abounded for both Ruud and Blockx, who opening the bottom half’s quarterfinal action on Thursday.

Blockx was quicker out of the gates with an early 4-2 lead, and though Ruud leveled the opening set at four games apiece, the youngster broke right back and survived a marathon tenth game to serve it out on his fourth set point.

"From the first game, I felt I was hitting the ball quite well and I made every return," Blockx said.

Following a delay to address an issue with the net, the second set saw Ruud attempt to make a push early. But Blockx saved a break point and turned the tables on the Norwegian three games later, taking a 0-40 lead on Ruud’s serve before claiming a decisive lead.

Ruud saved two match points on his own serve as the match ticked past the 90-minute mark, but Blockx calmly served out the upset and booked his place in the last four.

Awaiting him there will be either No. 2 seed Alexander Zverev or the 10th-seeded Cobolli, whom Blockx beat earlier this month in Monte Carlo.