MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 30, 2026

Alexander Blockx

Mixed Zone

A. BLOCKX/C. Ruud

6-4, 6-4

Q. You beat the current Madrid champion and you reached the top 35, so how do you feel?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, of course it's nice beating the defending champion, and also Casper, whose favorite conditions are here, I think. That shows me that I can play well on clay too. Yeah, the ranking is going up really fast. And, as I said, it's nice to be able to play the bigger tournaments now. And, yeah, I don't know, the ceiling, I'll just see match by match, and hopefully I can get as high as I can, yeah.

Q. Break into the top 35, becoming the highest ranking Belgian, first Belgian to reach the semifinals in Madrid. Did you expect such a strong tournament?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: No, definitely not. I was already happy with getting into the main draw here. I got into the main draw last minute on Friday, just before the deadline. So winning my first match here was already a bonus for me.

Then, yeah, of course all the other matches, I never thought I would get that far. But once you get confident and you feel your game, a lot can happen, yeah.

Q. Was there anything happening the last few months that made you think you were building towards a performance like this?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Not really. I was just practicing and doing my thing like I always did. Sometimes it pays off, sometimes not. This week it's paying off, yeah.

Q. Until a few months ago you were not sure whether you could be a great player on clay courts. I guess now you feel different?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Yeah, I never have too much confidence on clay the last couple of years. But I think I cannot say that anymore with the results I am doing. So, yeah, I think I improved a lot on all my shots, my physicality. And, yeah, I think the conditions here are a bit quicker than the usual clay, so that helps as well. But, yeah, I definitely like clay now.

Q. Is every game still a bonus for you or are you in it to win it now?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: No, of course, every game is still a bonus. It's my first time in such a deep run, and I'm just happy to still be here.

Q. You're part of this new generation with players like Fonseca and Jodar. Do you think your generation will be able to compete with Sinner and Alcaraz in the near future?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: We will definitely try. I think they are still a big level ahead of us. But, yeah, that's why we play this sport, to be able to make a chance maybe to compete with them. Yeah, it will be really difficult, but if you believe in it then you have a small chance, yeah.

Q. What was your approach to the match today going up against a French Open finalist, a champion here, great clay court player?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: I was just trying to, yeah, play my game and focus on myself as much as I could. If I start focusing on him I will get too much in my head, and so will he. So I just try to serve big and play well in the important moments, yeah.

Q. Do you have any preferences on your rival in the semifinals?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: Not really. Not really.

Q. Did the match against Felix help you to win or to play better?

ALEXANDER BLOCKX: It definitely gave me a bit of confidence. But as I said here, every match is difficult. The level is very similar. I think I'm playing a better level each match, which helps me to win, of course. Yeah, I think it showed me that I can really compete with the best in the world, yeah.