Comeback Daniil Medvedev Claims First Championship in 882 Days
Nineteen of Medvedev's twenty-one victories have been earned on hard courts
A comeback Medvedev won his first trophy for nearly 30 months with a win over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open title decider.
The Russian, a former number one, has had a torrid season, managing just one win at the major tournaments and undergoing a meltdown at the American major.
His unpredictability on the tennis tour - and issues with his serving in especial - resulted in him dropping out of the elite rankings and finally separating with former mentor Gilles Cervara.
Now working with Johansson and Goetzke, Medvedev has gradually improved in the last few weeks - culminating in a hard-fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 victory over Frenchman Moutet.
It is his initial trophy after the Rome competition and initial on a hard surface from March of 2023.
Victory also means he has won twenty-one victories at twenty-one different events.
"This marks the first occasion I have attended a tournament with my both daughters simultaneously, so to get a trophy is really nice," stated ranked player Daniil Medvedev.
"This championship is in honour of my younger daughter Victoria, because the maiden victory I got when my first daughter Alisa was born was for her."
The tennis star, the past champion, had failed in his past six finals, comprising in the German tournament earlier this year.
The player's retrieving play style and frequent outbursts on the tennis court had caused some to wonder if his ability to perform at the top level was finished.
But the 29-year-old has altered his approach in the past month, striving to approach the net and perform aggressively, reinforced by an improved serve.
The champion recovered from a break down in the opening set against the challenging opponent, taking 4 of the final five exchanges to take the lead.
The pair exchanged break points in the middle set before Moutet, striving for his initial professional title, took control to create a decider.
He rescued four early opportunities in a tight final set before Medvedev secured a break to fifteen to close out the victory.
Fittingly, he clinched the win with a point at the front of the court, with his opponent incapable to handle a shot after over two and a half hours.
