Daniel Mérida
Daniel Mérida is a Spanish right-hander, born on 26 September 2004. He is coached by Israel Sevilla. 2026 has been his breakthrough year on the main tour.
He won a Challenger title in Tenerife in February, then came through qualifying to reach the final in Bucharest, where Mariano Navone beat him. He also qualified for Madrid and reached the third round. In July he won his first ATP title in Umag, beating Damir Džumhur 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in the final, after knocking out Tomás Martín Etcheverry in the second round.
He carried that form on to hard courts. He reached his first Masters 1000 quarter-final in Montreal and the third round of the US Open, where he beat Andrey Rublev before losing to Alex Michelsen. He reached a career-high World No. 39 on 24 August 2026. In September he made his Davis Cup debut with a win over Alejandro Tabilo. He is World No. 42 on 1,195 points as of 19 October 2026.
Player Profile
| Full name | Daniel Mérida Aguilar |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 26 September 2004 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Height | 6ft 2in / 1.88m |
| Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
| Coach | Israel Sevilla |
| Highest ranking | World No. 39 (August 2026) |
| Best Grand Slam result | Third round, US Open 2026 |
| ATP titles | 1 |
| Grand Slam titles | 0 |
Current Ranking & Recent Form
| Shanghai Masters 2026 | First round: lost to Botic van de Zandschulp 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
|---|---|
| Davis Cup qualifier, Chile v Spain 2026 | Beat Alejandro Tabilo 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 |
| US Open 2026 | Third round: beat Andrey Rublev 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, lost to Alex Michelsen 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 |
| National Bank Open, Montreal 2026 | Quarter-final: beat Tallon Griekspoor 6-3, 6-1 to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final |
| Croatia Open, Umag 2026 | Championbeat Damir Džumhur 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in the final |
Playing Style & Strengths
Mérida is a right-hander with a two-handed backhand, listed at 1.88m. His ATP title and his Bucharest final both came on clay, but his game has also worked on hard courts. He won the Tenerife Challenger, reached the Montreal quarter-finals and beat Rublev at the US Open. Physical work has been a focus. Before the 2026 season he said he wanted to make a leap in his physical condition, and he travels with fitness coach Guillermo Martínez. He has shown he can recover from a slow start, coming from a set down against Rublev in New York and Tabilo in the Davis Cup.
Mérida Betting Tips & Predictions
Mérida has won on both clay and outdoor hard courts in 2026, so surface alone should not rule him out. He has a good record against higher-ranked names this year, with wins over Rublev, Etcheverry and Tabilo. His last few weeks have been quieter. He lost to Alex Michelsen at the US Open and to Botic van de Zandschulp in Shanghai after winning the first set 6-1. This is his first full season at tour level, so his record on indoor courts is still thin.
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