Mérida Unable to Overcome Michelsen

Daniel Mérida's promising North American hard-court run ended in a clear defeat on Friday, as American Alex Michelsen beat him in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the US Open.

Michelsen, ranked 46th in the world, defeated the 39th-ranked Spaniard 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and nine minutes. He will next meet Argentina's Tomás Martín Etcheverry, ranked 32nd, with a place in the quarterfinals at stake.

The result closed a striking turnaround for Mérida, 21, who arrived in the North American swing without a professional win on hard courts. He finished with an 8-3 record after reaching the quarterfinals in Montreal and the third round in both Cincinnati and New York.

Those results lifted Mérida into the world's top 40 for the first time. Against Michelsen, however, he won only 60 percent of his service points and 28 percent on return. He conceded four breaks and converted just one of five break opportunities.