Revitalized Medvedev Secures Maiden Title in Over Two Years
Nineteen of Daniil Medvedev's 21 victories have been achieved on hardcourt
A resurgent Medvedev won his first championship for nearly 30 months with victory over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open championship match.
The athlete, a ex- number one, has had a torrid year, achieving just one win at the major tournaments and suffering a difficult moment at the US Open.
Medvedev's unpredictability on the tennis tour - and issues with his serve in specific - led to him dropping out of the top ten and eventually splitting with long-term mentor Cervara.
Currently training with Thomas Johansson and Goetzke, Medvedev has steadily improved in the last few weeks - culminating in a hard-fought competitive victory over opponent Moutet.
This represents his initial trophy following the Rome competition and maiden on a hardcourt from March of that year.
The win also signifies Medvedev has won twenty-one titles at twenty-one different tournaments.
"This marks the first occasion I'm at a competition with my two daughters simultaneously, so to win a championship is really nice," said ranked player Daniil Medvedev.
"This victory is in dedication of my second daughter Victoria, because the maiden victory I won when my older daughter my daughter was born was for her."
The tennis star, the former major winner, had lost his past six finals, including in Halle earlier this year.
His counter-punching approach and recurring emotional displays on court had led some to question if his skill to perform at the top level was over.
But the player has implemented adjustments in the past month, attempting to approach the net and play aggressively, supported by an enhanced serve.
He came back from a disadvantage in the first set against the tricky Moutet, winning four of the concluding five exchanges to gain the advantage.
The pair swapped break points in the second set before the Frenchman, attempting for his initial professional championship, gained dominance to force a decider.
Moutet saved four initial opportunities in a close third set before the champion broke to that score to secure the win.
Suitably, the winner clinched the win with a shot at the front of the court, with his opponent unable to handle a return after a lengthy match.
