Dani Mérida, after becoming champion in Umag: "It's a huge achievement and motivates me to keep improving"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 19 Jul 2026 | 08.53

Dani Mérida speaks after winning in Umag. Photo: atptour.com

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Dani Mérida was still assimilating the biggest success of his career when he addressed the media after winning the ATP 250 in Umag. The Spaniard, who defeated Damir Dzumhur to lift his first ATP title, made it clear that the trophy represents a dream come true, but also the starting point for new goals.

After an unforgettable week, the Spanish player wanted to share his emotions, remember the people who have accompanied him throughout the journey, and explain the keys that allowed him to take the definitive step after the final lost months ago in Bucharest, as reported by atptour.com.

At 21 years old, Dani Mérida concludes a season of significant growth that will allow him to break into the top 60 players in the world this Monday. However, in his statements, the excitement to continue evolving prevailed over the satisfaction for all he has achieved so far.

Dani Mérida values this Umag title as it deserves

The Madrid native did not hide the emotion he felt when winning his first ATP title. After years on the Challenger circuit and coming close to the title in Bucharest, Umag represents a watershed moment for him.

"It's incredible. Winning an ATP title is something different. It's really huge, so I'm super happy to have achieved my first ATP title and very motivated to keep working," he stated.

Far from settling for this success, his words reflect an ambitious mentality, focused on continuing to grow and leveraging the momentum of this victory to keep climbing positions in the circuit.

The lesson learned in Bucharest that helped Mérida win in Umag

One of the most interesting moments of the interview came when he recalled the final lost earlier this year in Bucharest. That defeat ended up being a learning experience that, as Mérida himself acknowledges, was crucial to face the Umag final.

"I learned many things, but the most important was starting to play aggressively, trusting my shots, and playing my tennis. That helped me a lot today."

Precisely, that was one of the key differences in the final against Damir Dzumhur. The Spaniard took the initiative from the outset, struck with great determination from the baseline, and although nerves appeared when serving to close the match in the second set, he never gave up his identity. In the third set, he displayed his best version again to finally seal the victory.

He also mentioned how challenging it was to manage the match development. "It was a crazy match. He started playing really well in the second set. I tried to do my best, but the conditions were getting slower, making it very difficult for me. I'm very happy with the level I showed throughout the week and with having achieved my first title."

His family, the great support throughout his life and a fundamental pillar in Mérida's success

Mérida also wanted to devote a good part of his words to the people who have accompanied him since he started playing tennis. When asked who had been the most important figure to get to this moment, he declined to choose just one person.

"I have many people. My father, my girlfriend, who is here with me this week, my mother, my brother... They have all supported me a lot, so I can't choose just one person. All of them."

Especially touching was the tribute dedicated to his father, the person who introduced him to the sport when he was just a child. "I have many memories with him. We started playing paddle tennis and then moved to the tennis court. I have many photos and many memories. He was always with me during training, traveling, and helping me."

The Spaniard also explained that tennis has been a passion since childhood. "I fell in love with tennis when I was a child. I spent most of my time on the court. I love this sport, I love competing in tournaments. It's really important to me."

"I'm an aggressive player"

Describing himself as a tennis player, Mérida left no doubt about the identity he wants to have on the court. "I consider myself an aggressive player. I like hitting the ball as hard as I can." However, he assures that his personality changes completely off the court.

"Off the court, I'm a very calm person. I like to spend time with my family and friends when I can and go out to dinner with the people I love." Among his surprising hobbies that occupy much of his free time is video games. "I love video games. I enjoy watching other people play and playing with my friends. It's probably what I do the most when I'm not competing."

In fact, he is clear about what his profession would have been if tennis had not come into his life. "Surely I would be doing something related to video games. Maybe streaming or something similar because I spend a lot of time in front of the computer playing."

Dani Mérida will celebrate it, but already focusing on Estoril

Despite winning the biggest title of his career, Mérida made it clear that he will have little time for celebrations. "Today, I will celebrate with my girlfriend. Tomorrow we will go out for lunch and dinner together. Then we travel to the next tournament, but we will surely try to do something special before leaving." Watch out for what Dani Mérida does in upcoming events, now traveling to Estoril to try to extend his winning streak.

His response perfectly summarizes the moment the Madrid native is going through. The satisfaction of lifting his first ATP trophy coexists with the ambition to keep growing. After inaugurating his trophy cabinet in Umag and entering the top 60 players in the world, Dani Mérida is already thinking about the next challenge. A mindset that helps explain why his progression seems to have only just begun.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Dani Mérida, tras ser campeón en Umag: "Es un logro enorme y me impulsa a seguir mejorando"

Dani Mérida