Belgian Blockx Casper’s Madrid repeat dream

Casper Ruud’s Madrid Masters title defence was laid to waste on Thursday as the Norwegian found his way impeded by Belgian outsider Alexander Blockx 6-4, 6-4.

The world No. 69 winner powered into the smei-fibals on the clay of the Spanish capital, posting one of the biggest wins of his career.

Blockx is new to clay success, never winning a match on the surface until a fortnight ago when he booked into the Monte Carlo quarters where he lost to Alex de Minaur.

Prior to his upset loss, Ruud had dropped just five games at the Caja Magica in his first two matches before outlasting Stefanos Tsitsipas in a struggle of three tiebreak sets.

The loss sends Ruud out of the ranking top 20 for the first time in five years.

Blockx added the two-time Roland Garros finalist to a Madrid upset list which also includes Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“I’m just happy with being 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,” Blockx said. .

“I’m proud of how I’ve played these past couple of matches. I think the conditions suit me well here. I feel like it’s clay which is slow, so I have time to settle and hit my shots, go for my shots.”

Ruud lost in 96 minutes; Blockx will wait for a  semi-final opponent as second-seeded two-time Madrid champion Alexander Zverev faces Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.