Madonna has an unlikely ally in her bid to adopt a second African orphan-her former husband.

British director Guy Ritchie is speaking out in defense of his ex after a Malawai judge denied her request to adopt a three-year-old girl from Malawi on Friday. Guy says he was “saddened” by the judge’s refusal to allow the pop legend to bring home little Mercy James.

“Madonna is a fantastic and loving mother who cares deeply about her own children, and children who may need additional help and support,” Guy said in a statement released Friday.

“I fully supported Madonna in her decision to apply for this adoption, and I am saddened that her application has been rejected. She is motivated only by being a caring parent who seeks to share some of the advantages and opportunities that her life has given her,” his statement continued.

“This time it did not work out, but there will be other opportunities and I wish her well in them. She is a great mum,” Guy’s statement concluded.

Guy Ritchie has succeeded in out-classing Madonna. Is that difficult? Probably not. But instead of kicking Madge when she’d down, Guy instead released a statement of support. This comes just hours after a judge rejected her adoption attempt for little Mercy James, saying that Madge had not fulfilled the requirements for a prospective adoptive parent.

In Guy’s statement, he refers to Madonna as “a fantastic and loving mother who cares deeply about her own children and children who may need additional help and support.” Guy goes on to say that Madonna’s motivations for adopting were only that of a caring parent wishing to give “advantages and opportunities” to another child.

Madonna’s former husband, Guy Ritchie, has expressed his sadness over her failed adoption of a child from Malawi and praised her as a “great mum”.

A judge at Malawi’s High Court in Lilongwe rejected the singer’s application to adopt Mercy James, a four-year-old girl, ruling that the child should remain in her home country.

In a statement, Ritchie said: “Madonna is a fantastic and loving mother who cares deeply about her own children, and children who may need additional help and support. I fully supported Madonna in her decision to apply for this adoption, and I am saddened that her application has been rejected. She is motivated only by being a caring parent who seeks to share some of the advantages and opportunities that her life has given her. This time it did not work out, but there will be other opportunities and I wish her well in them. She is a great mum.”

He spoke out after Judge Esmie Chondo turned down an interim adoption application which would have allowed Madonna to take Mercy to the United States, pending a permanent decision on her future.

Guy Ritchie flirted with two women during a recent night out. The British director – who announced he was separating from wife Madonna last year – and Jude Law, who stars in Guy’s new movie “Sherlock Holmes,” spent Wednesday evening at London hotspot Soho House, where they were spotted deep in conversation with the women. View Photos [13] View Profile View All News A source said: “They were all in a tight group in the corner. Guy was drinking beer, and seemed like he was in a good mood. He didn’t look distressed about Madonna at all.” Guy’s father John recently admitted he thinks it would be a tragedy if his son reunited with Madonna, adding he was glad the pop star has had “lots of boyfriends” because “she won’t be looking for him.” John said: “The worst thing would be if they reconciled.” Despite admitting he is glad the couple have parted ways, John added relations between the pair are amicable and all they care about is the happiness of the children they raise together – 12-year-old Lourdes, eight-year-old Rocco and David, three. He said: “There are no big arguments between them. All they discuss is the children.”