Mérida: "I believe I have the level to compete against anyone"

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Dani Mérida continues to sign one of the most remarkable stories of the Mutua Madrid Open 2026. The Spanish player defeated Corentin Moutet in the second round in an intense match, marked by the level on the court as well as by the atmosphere on Court 3 of the Caja Mágica, which was completely engaged.

Coming from the qualifying rounds, Mérida has now strung together four consecutive victories in the tournament, confirming the great form he is in. In a match with moments of tension, especially with the crowd fully behind him, the Spanish player managed to stay calm and bring home a demanding match. In the third round, he will face the winner between Alexander Bublik and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Atmosphere on Court 3 of the Caja Mágica

“Obviously, I’m playing very well on that court. I don’t have a preference; I’m fine playing on the center court, court 2, or court 3. I’ll try to give my best on any of them, but I feel very good playing here in Madrid and I hope the next match will be the same.”

The support of the crowd

“I knew that at some point the match would be about the crowd. I had already discussed it with my team, so I was expecting it. It didn’t affect me much because I knew it would happen, although it's tough in the moment. I think I managed it well, remained calm and focused on myself, and therefore it didn’t affect me much. The crowd is helping me a lot. When I feel like I can't go on, having them cheering and supporting from the outside makes a huge difference. It's an incredible help and motivates me to keep fighting when I feel like I can't go on.”

Match against Moutet

“At the beginning, I was as nervous as always. Then, with the support of the crowd and starting the match well, you loosen up a bit. Today I was more relaxed than in the first round, and I hope to continue improving in that aspect. In the second set, I noticed that he had changed things and was causing me more trouble, so I talked to my coach and tried to correct and see what I could do better to get back to the level of the first set.”

Reaching the next level

“I think I had the level, but I was lacking matches like this, competing against these players throughout the match. This year, I’ve started playing more matches at this level, and from the first one, I felt I could compete. Now I believe I have the level to do it against anyone. I try to focus on myself. I knew I could earn my place based on level, and so it has been. It all depends on me.”

Next challenge: Bublik or Tsitsipas

“I don’t have a clear preference. It depends more on how I am that day. If I play at 100% and set my rhythm, I think I can compete against any style.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mérida: "Creo que tengo nivel para competir contra cualquiera"