Daniel Mérida may not realise quite what he has achieved until he wakes up tomorrow morning. The Spaniard will leave the Mutua Madrid Open after a remarkable week in which he came through qualies and reached the third round of the main draw. One of the men of the moment in the Caja Magica, the Madrid native has now said adios to his home city’s ATP Masters 1000, but he takes with him with an undeniable reward; he is now one of the Top 100 players on the ATP Tour and his career looks set to change for good.

“I’ve had a few good weeks”, recognised the Spaniard after losing to Stefanos Tsitsipas on Monday in Madrid. “I reached the final in Bucharest and I’m very happy with my level here this week. It was my first time playing in Madrid, and I leave feeling great, very motivated for the next tournament. I leave knowing I am capable of continuing to compete in these kinds of tournaments”.

Mérida’s words reflect the mindset of a man convinced he can take the next step. In professional sport, where the differences are so small, belief is a fundamental factor in breaking through. It’s a language understood and respected in the locker room, an insulated environment where everyone is battling for the same goal.

“When I came to play in qualies, I knew I had the level, but I didn’t expect to keep it high for so many matches in a row”, explained the Madrid native, who has managed to go from fleeting brilliance to consistency throughout an entire tournament. That sort of tenacity is necessary in an individual sport where you have to rely on yourself. “I’m happy to see I’m capable of doing it. I just finished, but I’m already motivated to play in Rome next week. I want to try to compete again at the same level”.

That determination puts Mérida in a position he’s never been in before. The Madrid native has a provisional ranking of No. 86 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, making his debut in the Top 100 with a significant leap up the table. In Madrid alone, he managed to leapfrog 15 spots and now occupies a very different place on the list.

“I’ve learned that I can compete against great players”, he said in the Caja Magica where, for the first time, he defeated a Top 30 player and went head-to-head with a former world No. 3. “Physically and in terms of tennis, I have room to improve in every way. I need to learn to manage certain moments better; I’m not used to these kinds of matches, playing with a full crowd… It’s an important lesson for next time”.

With so many new learnings, Mérida leaves the Mutua Madrid Open having reached a turning point in his career. However, the higher you climb, the tougher things can get in this sport. His progress does not mean tennis is not about to hand him anything on a plate.

“Next week I’ll be among the Top 100, and that’s going to be a dream for me. It will allow me to play the main draw at the French Open and Wimbledon. The Grand Slams are tournaments you dream of as a child. This week is a huge help for me, and I hope to keep competing at this level”.