At 21, Madrid’s Dani Mérida has reached the US Open third round, where Alex Michelsen awaits tonight. After beating Andrey Rublev in four sets, Mérida is on the verge of his best Grand Slam result so far. The match is scheduled for Friday, September 4, not before 22:30 Spanish time. Tournament organizers confirmed it as part of the men’s singles draw, and updated the schedule earlier today.
Ranked 39th in the ATP, Mérida has shown he can come back from behind and play well on hard courts. His win over Rublev, 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, highlighted his baseline power and ability to read and return serve. He now faces Michelsen, the world No. 46, who will have the New York crowd on his side. After coming back from a set down against Rublev, Mérida was called "Rublev’s conqueror" by usopen.org, while several outlets, including MARCA, described the victory as the biggest of his career.
Before this US Open meeting, the head-to-head between Mérida and Michelsen was tied at 1-1, with each player having won one of their previous encounters.
This is the third time Mérida and Michelsen have met as professionals, and each has won once before. Both come into the match with momentum: Mérida recently won the ATP 250 in Umag and had a strong North American tour, while Michelsen is playing in his first US Open third round after beating Brandon Nakashima. Tennis Majors noted the significance of this step for Michelsen on home ground.
Spanish viewers can watch the match live on Movistar Plus+. MARCA.com will provide updates, and Radio MARCA will have live commentary. The broadcast reflects growing interest in Spanish tennis as new players like Mérida reach the later rounds of major tournaments. As reported earlier, Spanish players have already staged dramatic comebacks at this year’s US Open. Live data from tennis.com and 365scores.com showed that the Mérida versus Michelsen result was quickly updated in tournament records, drawing attention from international media.
Sources differ slightly on the players' rankings at the time of the match: some listed Mérida as world No. 39 and Michelsen as No. 46, reflecting the changing live ATP rankings and close competition between the two, information from marca.com.
With attention on Mérida growing, tonight’s match could be a turning point in his career. A win would be his best Grand Slam result and could signal a shift among Spain’s top players. Spanish broadcasters are giving his matches priority, reflecting his rising profile and the expectations around him. In a tournament where every round can change a player’s path, fans and analysts will closely watch Mérida’s performance tonight.
