The world No. 59, Daniel Merida, has had a breakthrough season on the ATP Tour, winning the Umag title last weekend. The title came after years of financial struggles and managing everything alone to reach the position he is currently in. For much of his career, the 21-year-old Spaniard could not afford a coach and traveled alone through the Challengers and ITF tours. When asked, people who don’t follow tennis closely often fail to understand the demands of the sport; he did not reach for a polished answer.

“Tennis is a very tough sport because you have to travel a lot from a young age,” he said while speaking to Clay Tennis. “I traveled alone for a long time. I was playing Futures tournaments, the lowest level of tennis, for two years, and I did it all on my own. Sometimes my girlfriend, Luana, would come; sometimes, when he could make it, my dad would join me. But I couldn’t afford a coach, and in the end, it’s really hard to be alone, traveling solo, and losing every week.”

Merida beat Bosnian veteran Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in the Umag final, converting seven of twelve break points across a match that stretched to nearly two hours, to claim his maiden ATP Tour crown in just his seventh event on the main tour. His girlfriend, Luana, was there to celebrate the victory and support him as always. The couple lifted the trophy together, and Luana shared a heartfelt post on her Instagram. 

At 21 years and 10 months, the Spaniard became only the third-youngest champion in the tournament’s history, behind Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Merida began the year ranked No. 163 in the world, and now he has broken into the top 60 of the world, guaranteeing him his first direct qualification to a Grand Slam at the US Open.

The total prize money in ITF Futures events is usually around $15,000 to $25,000, with the eventual winner receiving approximately 15 percent of that amount, i.e., $2,250 to $3,750 before taxes. Additionally, if you lose in the first or the second round at that level, which often leaves the player with a loss after deducting the cost of travel, accommodation, stringing, and entry fees, something the Spaniard has repeatedly endured in his career. 

Merida’s struggle points to a deeper structural issue

A 2019 ITF survey of over 7,600 professional players revealed that only approximately 5-6 percent of the sport’s top players make enough money in prize money to pay for their playing costs. These numbers highlight a shockingly low percentage of players in a sport which is considered wealthy.  

For Challenger-level players, annual costs generally range from $50,000 to $100,000, and those who don’t reach the finals rarely recoup this investment. It can be brutal for a player who has no backing from the federation or from a sponsor to simply stay on the tour long enough to make their mark.

In more recent years, the ATP has made changes to ease the financial struggles of lower-ranked players, such as a financial safety net programme in 2024 that provides guaranteed support based on ranking. It provides up to $200,000 in support for those ranked in the top 100 and less for those further down the list, and advances for those who have built their ranking but not yet made it into the top 125. 

The actions taken were insufficient to alter Merida’s journey to this point, but they indicate a rising awareness in the sport that skill alone has seldom been adequate for navigating its initial stages. 

Merida’s lessons from his leaner years have definitely stuck with him as his results have begun to arrive. Looking back at everything he has endured before the Umag title stays in retrospect. “When you win these titles, obviously you see everything in a better light; you know the journey was worth it,” he said. 

After securing a runner-up spot in Bucharest this year and qualifying for both the main draws at Roland-Garros and Wimbledon, Merida’s fast climb up the rankings is a rare, hard-won example of just how far a player can go if they receive the right kind of support.