It’s hard to believe, but there’s a growing sense that Carlos Alcaraz may hurt the rest of Spanish tennis.
The Spaniard completed his Career Grand Slam in January when he won the Australian Open at just 22 years old.
In doing so, Alcaraz followed in Rafael Nadal’s footsteps, who retired from professional tennis earlier in 2024.
Although his achievements have undoubtedly elevated the profile of Spanish tennis, Daniel Merida has opened up about the pressures that come with following in such successful footsteps.
Carlos Alcaraz’s rise is not without its drawbacks for Spanish tennis, says Daniel Merida
Merida has also had a strong start to his 2026 campaign, reaching the final in just his second ATP main draw appearance in Bucharest.
That run has him on the verge of breaking into the top 100 for the first time, though he admits comparisons to Alcaraz and Nadal add an extra layer of pressure.
“All Spanish tennis players who stand out at a young age face pressure; they quickly start being compared to people like Rafa, Carlos, who are players who have done something unusual like being number one at 18 years old,” Merida said, via Eurosport Spain.
“I’ve tried to get rid of those comparisons, not put pressure on myself, and little by little I’ve been handling them better. I’ve learned that everything depends on me – that I have to do this for myself, for my family and coaches.”
Even so, Merida says there are positives too. He spoke about how watching Alcaraz can also be motivating while pointing out others making their way up in Spanish tennis.
“It’s both. It helps me because I see him and it motivates me but I think it’s somewhat detrimental in general because people think that’s normal, that it happens to all players. That’s not the case,” Merida continued.
“It’s an exceptional case. Now we have Rafa Jodar and Martin Landaluce – both fantastic players even though they’ve had a more typical development.”
Daniel Merida describes his relationship with Carlos Alcaraz
While Merida doesn’t always appreciate the added pressure that comes from Alcaraz’s achievements, he still spoke highly of the seven-time Grand Slam champion as a person.
Alcaraz is only a year older than Merida, and there seems to be a good bond among this generation of young Spanish ATP players.
“With Carlos, since he was a year older, we crossed paths on the junior circuits,” said Merida.
“He’s a fantastic person then and now. Rafa and Martín are the same; they’re both amazing players and truly great people.”
The two players will not have a chance to meet in Madrid this year, with Alcaraz withdrawing from the tournament due to ongoing wrist issues.
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