Daniel Merida, coming from the qualifications, is the second finalist from the Țiriac Open: “I am very happy”

Daniel Merida has a week of premieres in Bucharest: he ticked off his first ATP victory, then the first quarters, the first semifinal and now the first final, after coming back from 0-1 in the sets and defeating Fabian Maroszan 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-1 on Saturday. “It was a physical match, just like we had all week; at the beginning of the second set I felt a bit tired, I tried to give everything, especially as we were playing in the semi-finals. I'm very happy to play the final.” said the Spaniard, who has already won six matches on clay in Bucharest.

He passed Georgian Saba Purtseladze (24 years old, 302 ATP) and Austrian Joel Schwaerzier (20 years old, 177 ATP) in the qualifiers, then, in the main draw, Finnish Otto Virtanen (24 years old, 123 ATP), a game in which he saved two match points, in the second against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino (37 years old, 43 ATP), favorite 2, in the quarters by Titouan Drouget (24 years old, 122 ATP), where he saved three other match balls, and in the semifinal by Fabian Maroszan.

“My style is to always fight until the last ball. In the first round, I think that attitude helped me a lot, and also in the quarter-finals. I'm happy with how things are going this week. I know things won't always go so well, but at the moment I'm very happy with my performance.” Daniel Merida said.

Daniel Merida. “I feel good here”

In all these matches, he attracted the sympathy of the public who came to the “Simona Halep” National Tennis Center, the loudest cheers always going to the Spaniard. His fighting spirit carried him to the last match of the tournament. “I feel so good here, I'm very happy with my level and tomorrow I'll give everything. I've always felt good on clay, I've started this season very well on this surface and I can't wait to see what's next,” said Daniel Merida.

Talented player, national champion of Spain in all age categories, Merida is part of the future of tennis in his country. This year he set out to make the jump into the Top 100, and the qualification in the last act at the Țiriac Open brings him closer to this goal, as he is currently ranked 101st in an up-to-date ranking.

Daniel Merida can enter the Top 100 with a win

To go even higher, he needs a win over Mariano Navone, whom he has only met once, in 2022, in an ITF tournament, and the Argentine prevailed in three sets. “I know Mariano Navone, I played against him many years ago, it will be a tough match. I will try to rest as much as I can and be ready to play my best tennis”, he said the Iberian.

He is only the third player to come from the qualifiers and reach the finals at the tournament in Bucharest. Before him there were also Arnaud Di Pasquale, in 1998, and Pablo Andujar, in 2010, neither of whom managed to win the trophy. Who knows, maybe the time has come for a premiere in the tournament from Bucharest.

The schedule for Saturday, April 6, at the Țiriac Open

• Central Ground

• Double, final

• 11:30 Sadio Dumbia, Fabien Reboul (France, Fanța, 1) – Adam Pavlasek, Patrik Rikl (Czech Republic, Czech Republic)

• Simple, the final

• 14:00 Mariano Navone (Argentina, 7) – Daniel Merida (Spain, q)