Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Daniel Merida Aguilar Preview & Prediction | 2026 Italian Open | First Round
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Nikoloz Basilashvili goes up against Daniel Merida Aguilar in the first-round of the Italian Open.
Ranking points: ATP 1000
Start date/time:
Venue: Foro Italico, Rome, Italy
Surface: Outdoor clay
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports Tennis / USA – Tennis Channel
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / USA – Tennis Channel
Tickets: Visit this link for the latest Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Daniel Merida Aguilar ticket information
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Daniel Merida Aguilar prediction
Nikoloz Basilashvili qualified for this event after wins over Elmer Moller and Rinky Hijikata. It’s been a tough season for the Georgian, as he has suffered a number of first-round exits, along with a failure to qualify for tournaments such as Indian Wells, Monte-Carlo and the Australian Open at the start of the year. He has only progressed beyond the first-round at two events, with his best result being a quarter-final appearance at a Challenger event in Phoenix.
He goes up against Daniel Merida Aguilar. The Spaniard was making his main draw tour-level debut at the Bucharest Open last month and he surprised many by defeating the likes of Adrian Mannarino and Fabian Marozsan to progress to the final. He nearly won the title, losing to Marian Navone in three sets. The 21-year-old continued his momentum in Madrid, qualifying for the tournament and reaching the third-round before a loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Merida Aguilar is now inside the top 100 of the rankings, and he will look to continue his upwards trajectory with a win over Basilashvili.
Nikoloz Basilashvili vs Daniel Merida Aguilar tip: Daniel Merida Aguilar to win