Casper Ruud won’t be repeating as champion in Madrid after falling in the quarter-finals of the 2026 tournament.
The three-time Grand Slam finalist and defending champion was beaten by Belgian youngster Alexander Blockx, whose steady rise in form continued with an impressive performance.
Blockx, 21, recorded a 6-4, 6-4 win over Ruud on Manolo Santana Court. Next up for him is a semi-final clash against either Alexander Zverev or Flavio Cobolli.
For Ruud, it was a disappointing result – one he’ll want to move past quickly as he turns his attention to the rest of the clay season.
Ruud will also take a hit in the rankings after failing to defend his title from last year’s event.
Casper Ruud’s Madrid exit set to drop him out of ATP top 20
Ruud’s defeat to Blockx means he’ll lose the 800 ATP rankings points he was defending from last year’s title run.
That drop is expected to push him down ten spots in the rankings, slipping from world number 15 to number 25.
The move will also see him fall below players like Arthur Fils, Cameron Norrie, and Valentin Vacherot. It marks his lowest ranking since April 2021, when he was 27th on the ATP Tour.
Blockx, meanwhile, has every reason to feel proud of his progress. The win over Ruud is projected to move him up an impressive 34 spots in the live rankings, landing at world number 35.
Brad Gilbert left impressed by Blockx
Brad Gilbert, who previously coached Andre Agassi and Coco Gauff, shared his thoughts on Blockx’s win over Ruud shortly after the match on X.
The week has been a remarkable one for Blockx. He secured his first top 10 victory earlier in the tournament against Felix Auger-Aliassime and has now beaten three consecutive top-20 players.
According to OptaAce, Blockx is also the first Belgian player to defeat the defending champion and reach a maiden ATP-level semi-final at an ATP Masters 1000 event.
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