Daniel Merida wins first ATP title in Umago

Spanish 21-year-old Daniel Merida won the Croatia Open in Umago on Saturday, securing his first career ATP title. The Madrid native defeated Bosnian Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 in a closely contested final lasting two hours and 14 minutes.

Merida dominated the opening set with aggressive baseline play, breaking Dzumhur twice and conceding very few points on his own serve. Leading 6-2, 5-4 in the second set, he suffered a sudden lapse, allowing Dzumhur to reel off twelve of the next fourteen points and force a deciding set.

The third set saw Merida regain his composure and depth. A crucial break in the fifth game restored his momentum, and he closed out the match with authority, sealing the 6-2 final set and his maiden ATP trophy.

Ranked 83rd coming into the tournament, Merida becomes the eighth player this season to win his first ATP title and will break into the world's top 60 when the rankings update on Monday. Dzumhur, playing in his first ATP final in eight years, sees his remarkable run — which included wins over Arnaldi and Molcan — rewarded with a return to the top 100 despite the loss.

Sources

• [Ubitennis — ATP Umago: primo titolo per Merida, Dzumhur si arrende al terzo set](https://www.ubitennis.com/blog/2026/07/18/atp-umago-primo-titolo-per-merida-dzumhur-si-arrende-al-terzo-set/)