Daniel Merida vs Alexander Blockx Preview & Prediction | 2026 Paris Masters | First Round

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Two of the brightest young talents on the ATP Tour meet in the first round as Spain’s Daniel Merida takes on Belgium’s Alexander Blockx.

Ranking points: ATP 1000

Start date/time: 2 November 2026 at 12:20 pm

Venue: La Defense Arena, Paris, France

Surface: Indoor hard

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / US – Tennis Channel

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Tennis Channel

Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Daniel Merida vs Alexander Blockx ticket information

Daniel Merida vs Alexander Blockx prediction

22-year-old Spaniard Daniel Merida has become a force on the ATP Tour this year, and he will be hoping to continue some of the fine form he has shown in what has unquestionably been a breakout year.

His standout performance was a quarter-final run at the Canadian Open, but he has also won matches at the US Open, Madrid Open and Cincinnati Open, so he will not be daunted as he comes into another ATP Masters 1000 event in Paris.

He takes on Alexander Blockx, who is also enjoying a breakout year, having reached the quarter-finals of the US Open and the semi-finals of the Madrid Open.

The pair have had similar years in terms of wins and losses on the ATP Tour, and it will be interesting to see how they measure up. Blockx has a fantastic serve, but there is much more to Merida’s game, and it will be interesting to see which of them can impose his style on the other.

Our sense is that Merida and the defensive side of his game could very well have the edge, but there is likely to be little to choose between these two. Expect this one to be topsy-turvy, and we would not be surprised to see it go all three sets.

Our play here is on this one going deep, so it is the games market for us, with a marginal preference for the Spaniard.

Daniel Merida vs Alexander Blockx tip: Over 21.5 total games