Spanish qualifier Daniel Merida is a semi-finalist on the ATP Tour after saving three match points against Titouan Droguet in his quarter-final match at the Tiriac Open presented by UniCredit Bank.

The 21-year-old arrived in Bucharest without a tour-level victory, but is now just two wins from the title at the ATP 250 event after double duty on Friday.

Merida defeated World No. 43 Adrian Mannarino 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 in second-round action on Friday morning after rain disrupted Thursday’s action, before he advanced to the last four following Droguet’s retirement.

Merida led the Frenchman 4-6, 7-6(7), 3-1 when play was stopped after saving three match points in the second-set tie-break.

"I feel amazing," Merida said in his on-court interview. "It was a super physical match and the end of the second set was crazy, saving the three match points. I think that was the point that the match changed. I am super happy to get the win. I like to fight until the last point."

The 21-year-old is up 22 spots to No. 114 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and is set to rise to a career high on Monday. Merida will next meet Fabian Marozsan after the Hungarian beat Daniel Altmaier 6-2, 7-6(5). Earlier this year, Merida lifted the ATP Challenger trophy in Tenerife.

In the top half, eighth seed Botic van de Zandschulp moved past Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3 to advance to his first tour-level semi-final since he lost in the Winston-Salem final last August. He is the second Dutchman to reach this stage in Bucharest after Robin Haase in 2014.

The No. 62 player in the PIF ATP Rankings Van de Zandschulp is now 6-1 against players ranked below him in 2026 and will play World No. 60 Mariano Navone in the semi-finals.

The Argentine Navone defeated Slovakian Alex Molcan 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in two hours and 19 minutes. Navone is chasing his maiden ATP Tour title and is now one win away from his first final since Rio de Janeiro in February 2024.