Mérida remembers Alcaraz after winning his first ATP title

Dani Mérida, who won the first title of his career in Umag that takes him to 58th place in the ATP ranking, the best so far as a professional, highlighted the relevance of having managed to win a tournament that has such relevant winners as Carlos Alcaraz or the Italian Jannik Sinner.

“For me it is incredible to win here. I have seen Carlos Alcaraz play the final here many times. I think he has lost two and won one. That is why I decided to come to this tournament,” highlighted the Madrid native who beat Bosnian Damir Dzumhur in the final.

“The truth is that it is incredible to be able to win where players like Carlos have won and played in so many finals,” added Dani Mérida, who played in his second final, after Bucharest in April, when he lost to the Argentine Mariano Navone.

Mérida had to work hard and needed three sets to win the title against the resistance of her rival.

“It was a very tough match; I am very happy with the first title. I started playing at a very high level, as I have been doing all week. But then, in the second set, when I was close to closing the match I got a little nervous and he raised the level, he started to play better,” said the Spaniard who had to resolve in the final set.

“I’m happy that in the third set I managed to turn my tennis around and get the title,” said Mérida.

Now that he has his first professional title and has managed to climb into the top 60 of the Dani Mérida ranking, he intends to advance. “The closest goal is to enter the top 50 of the best players in the world and by the end of the year try to compete every week and see where I can go and see the top in the ranking.”