Mérida shows Griekspoor how to play this game
Sublime performance by the Madrid tennis player to leave the Dutch player dry, who ended up exhausted and out of ideas. Mérida reaches his first Masters 1000 quarterfinals and breaks his ranking ceiling again.
It is clear that Dani Mérida is not just passing through Montreal. The Spanish player has made his way into the quarterfinals of the Canadian Masters 1000 after decisively defeating Tallon Griekspoor (6-3, 6-1) on Sunday, in a performance that once again confirmed his tennis is ready to compete at much higher levels. This marks his fourth consecutive victory, his first time reaching the quarterfinals of a Masters 1000, and a new chapter in a season that is starting to take on extraordinary dimensions.
Today, Mérida was better in practically every aspect. More complete, more varied, more solid, and, above all, much less predictable. Against him stood a Griekspoor who was unable to find answers, intent for much of the match on using the serve-and-volley tactic as an escape route, but failing to find the accuracy necessary for the formula to work. Every approach to the net seemed an invitation for Mérida to find the gap, and each rally highlighted the difference in sensations between the two players.
The Spanish player did not need to do anything extraordinary to dominate. That was precisely the greatness of his match. He played patiently when needed, accelerated when he found the opportunity, and mixed heights, directions, and rhythms to dismantle a rival who found himself outmatched virtually at all times. Griekspoor sought solutions, but across the net was a player with many fewer flaws.
Mérida takes another bite out of the ranking: from starting the year 165th to aiming for the top 40
What Mérida is doing in Canada forces a shift in the narrative. This is not just a brilliant week nor a one-time appearance on a grand stage. These are four consecutive victories in a Masters 1000, enough to virtually place him within the top 40 of the world ranking. The fact takes on even greater significance when recalling that he started the year as the 165th in the world. The progression is hard to comprehend. From being outside the top 150 to virtually rubbing shoulders with the top forty players on the planet in a matter of months. From discovering the major circuit to becoming one of the standout names in Montreal. And it’s still not over.
In the quarterfinals, he awaits the winner of the duel between Learner Tien and Thiago Tirante, another matchup that opens up a huge opportunity for him to continue advancing. But at this point, there is no need to ask for permission; Mérida is proving that he belongs on this stage. And as if that weren’t enough, Spanish tennis still has another card in the lower part of the draw: Rafa Jódar. The 19-year-old is still alive in Montreal and keeps open the possibility that the Canadian adventure could turn into a small celebration of Spanish tennis. Mérida is already among the eight best, though what is truly surprising is to think that perhaps we have not yet seen his ceiling.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mérida le enseña a Griekspoor cómo se juega a esto