The fairy tale continues to take shape in the Caja Magica

Saturday saw Daniel Mérida progress to round three of the Mutua Madrid Open in what was a thrilling coming of age in his home city. In an evening session destined to produce fireworks, and with the charged atmosphere of Stadium 3 setting the stage, the Spaniard beat Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-4 to earn himself a place in the business end of the tournament. From the humble qualifying rounds to the limelight of the main draw, the Madrid native continues plough his way through the rounds to the delight of the fans who cheer on his every shot.

“A large section of the crowd is helping me a lot”, admitted Mérida, comforted by the warmth of a fanbase that spurs him on every day. “In matches where there’s nothing left in the tank, having the fans behind me is proving key. Just like in round one, today it was a huge help. The people motivate me to fight when I don’t think I can anymore”.

His name has echoed relentlessly around a tournament that has seen him steadily gain confidence with each passing round. After enduring a gruelling first match, saving two match points that proved to be a lifeline, Mérida produced one of the finest performances of his budding career, fearlessly attacking the ball en route to his goal. With Moutet on the other side of the net, a player known for disrupting matches with drop shots, underarm serves, and the occasional quip to the crowd, it was the Spaniard’s adrenaline that ultimately tipped the balance and secured victory.

“I knew that at a certain point in the match he could get the crowd involved. It didn’t affect me much, even though in the moment it can be tough. I tried to stay 100% focused on myself. I think I handled it well and that’s why it didn’t bother me too much”.

Now, Madrid is offering one of its own the chance to compete on the big stage. Mérida will be fighting for a place in the last sixteen against either Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas or the Kazakh Alexander Bublik, both seasoned players with experience in the upper echelons of the tour.

Whatever happens next, Mérida continues to cement his remarkable progress on the ATP Tour, which is rooted in his outstanding ability on clay. After reaching his first final in Bucharest, his run in Madrid now guarantees him a spot among the world’s top 90 tennis players. It’s a step up that the Madrid native has always looked capable of.

“I think I had the level”, Mérida admitted confidently. “Maybe I needed to play more matches at this level to believe I’m capable of competing against these kinds of players. This year, I’ve started to play more tournaments in this category. From the very first match, I realized that I could be competitive”.

Now, with his adrenaline still levels through the roof, it is starting to dawn on Mérida that this is not a dream.