Quarterfinal competition in Madrid wraps up on Thursday in the bottom half of the bracket, where Alexander Zverev faces Flavio Cobolli. Casper Ruud continues his title defense against Alexander Blockx.
(10) Flavio Cobolli vs. (2) Alexander Zverev
Zverev and Cobolli will be meeting for the fourth time in their careers and for the second time on this clay-court swing when they battle for a semifinal spot at the Mutua Madrid Open on Thursday. They just squared off in the Munich semis, where Cobolli cruised 6-3, 6-3. Still, Zverev leads the head-to-head series 3-1 after prevailing 6-2, 7-6(4), 6-1 at the 2025 French Open and 6-4, 7-6(6) a couple of weeks later in Halle.
Although Munich is also a high-altitude tournament, conditions were cold and damp there two weeks ago. They should be faster and more to Zverev’s liking in Madrid, where the third-ranked German is simply awesome. He is 28-6 lifetime at the Caja Magica with two titles (2018, 2021) and one runner-up performance (2022). Zverev has advanced so far this fortnight with wins over Mariano Navone, Terence Atmane, and Jakub Mensik. Cobolli has also continued his fine form with defeats of Camilo Ugo Carabelli, Adolfo Daniel Vallejo, and Daniil Medvedev. As well as the 13th-ranked Italian is playing, it’s tough to bet against Zverev in Madrid — and the revenge factor will be real.
Pick: Zverev in 2
(12) Casper Ruud vs. Alexander Blockx
Ruud’s title defense came perilously close to ending in round four, but he came back from 5-3 down in the third set and saved two match points to defeat Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7(4), 7-6(2), 7-6(3). The 15th-ranked Norwegian preceded that result with blowouts of Jaume Munar and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, dropping a total of just five games in the process. It is a much-needed run for Ruud, who arrived in Madrid with a disappointing 9-8 record for the season.
Up next for the 12th seed is a first-ever showdown against Blockx. The 21-year-old is facing pretty much everyone for the first time, as he had not really been on the main tour prior to 2026. Blockx’s rise has been swift, carrying him to No. 69 in the world (No. 46 live) after ending last season at No. 117. A third-round performer in Monte-Carlo as a qualifier, Blockx has advanced this fortnight by beating Cristian Garin, Brandon Nakashima, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and Francisco Cerundolo. The Belgian may be able to serve his way to a set, but Ruud — playing at one of his favorite events — should eventually take control with his forehand.
Pick: Ruud in 3