Mérida, after an unforgettable clay-court tour: "Little by little, I am starting to believe more in my tennis"

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Hard work and perseverance have paid off for Dani Mérida (Madrid, 2004). The Spaniard has lived a clay court season he will never forget. His greatest achievements have come in these two and a half months. First, reaching his first ATP final in Bucarest from qualifying, followed by an impressive performance at the Mutua Madrid Open, entering the Top 100, and concluding at his first Roland Garros, although he couldn't display his best against a formidable opponent Ben Shelton (6-3, 6-3, 6-4).

However, despite the defeat, Mérida sat down with Punto de Break to reflect on these two dream-like months and share his expectations for the grass court season. He explained his reason for using social media extensively and took the opportunity to express his views on the Roland Garros prize money controversy.

How do you assess your first experience at Roland Garros?

Honestly, I felt good, although it was quite a tough match to debut here. I am very happy to have played my first Grand Slam main draw match here at Roland Garros. I take away the experience, things I need to improve on, and work on. 

Do you believe nerves affected your performance?

It was a combination of factors. Playing against Shelton on a big stage for the first time at Roland Garros made me a bit nervous in the beginning of the first set, but I began to loosen up. It was also a match where Shelton didn't give me many opportunities to play my game. He hits the ball very hard, serves incredibly well, not allowing me to get into the match, and I couldn't find my rhythm at any point. However, I am happy to have had the chance to play and experience this.

What surprised you the most about Shelton?

Primarily his serve and the speed at which he hits to the forehand. He hit some forehands with varying accuracy, but extremely fast, especially the serve and second serve, which were hard to return.

It was your first five-set match of your career. What was the main difference you noticed?

It was a slightly different experience; it went by quickly as it was a match without much rhythm, so physically, I was fine. However, when the second set ended, being my first time, it felt a bit strange to have to play another set. It wasn't a very physically demanding match, so perhaps I didn't notice a significant difference.

You conclude a clay court season you will never forget. What has changed in your tennis since the clay season began?

I have gained more confidence in my game and my shots, as well as confidence through winning matches. In general, I feel I am starting to believe more in my tennis. It was also my first time playing big tournaments. Last year and earlier this year, I was playing futures and challengers, gradually gaining more faith in my game, which I believe is building my confidence to progress in the rankings and continue improving.

Coming from a background of Challenger and futures tournaments, how important is it to advocate for an increase in prize money, a topic widely discussed at this Roland Garros?

It's incredibly important, not only for those tournaments but also for Challengers where players ranked around 250 or 270 in the world compete. They are the top 270 in a sport, and that's not easy to achieve. I think improvements should start from there, and obviously, the top players are complaining, but it's tough to initiate a change because those players are earning significant amounts of money. They make some effort, but they won't go all the way because it's the lower-ranked players who suffer the most.

Who are these players?

Those playing the Grand Slam Qualifying rounds, who almost exclusively rely on these four tournaments to salvage their year. There is clearly room for improvement starting from the challengers, then advancing to higher levels, potentially making significant enhancements to the futures tournaments as well.

What are the standout moments for you from this clay court season?  

There are many moments I will always cherish. Firstly, the final in Bucarest and also the matches and the week in Madrid because it was amazing to have my family there. I believe those two weeks will hold a special place in my heart for a long time.
 

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mérida, tras una gira de tierra inolvidable: "Poco a poco voy creyendo cada vez más en mi tenis"