Resurgent Medvedev Secures First Championship in Nearly 30 Months
Nineteen of Daniil Medvedev's 21 championships have been achieved on hard courts
A comeback Daniil Medvedev won his first trophy for 882 days with a win over Corentin Moutet in the tournament final.
Medvedev, a former world number one, has experienced a difficult year, managing just one win at the Grand Slams and undergoing a difficult moment at the American major.
Medvedev's inconsistency on the professional circuit - and struggles with his serving in particular - led to him exiting of the top ten and finally splitting with long-time coach Cervara.
Currently collaborating with Johansson and his other coach, Medvedev has consistently improved in the last few weeks - culminating in a tightly fought three-set victory over Frenchman Moutet.
This represents Medvedev's initial championship following the 2023 Rome Masters and first on a hard surface after that period of that year.
The win also signifies he has achieved twenty-one titles at twenty-one distinct competitions.
"This marks the first occasion I'm at a tournament with my children together, so to get a trophy is particularly special," commented ranked player Medvedev.
"This victory is in honour of my younger daughter my daughter, because the initial championship I got when my first daughter her name was delivered was for her."
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, had failed in his previous six title deciders, including in Halle earlier this year.
Medvedev's retrieving play style and frequent reactions on the tennis court had led observers to doubt if his ability to compete at the elite level was finished.
However the 29-year-old has altered his approach in the past month, making an effort to come to the net and compete aggressively, reinforced by an better service.
He came back from a disadvantage in the first set against the difficult opponent, winning 4 of the last five games to go ahead.
Both players traded break points in the middle set before the Frenchman, striving for his first tour title, seized the initiative to push for a third set.
Moutet rescued 4 early-game opportunities in a close third set before Medvedev broke to fifteen to secure the win.
Fittingly, he clinched victory with a shot at the net, with his opponent unable to handle a return after two hours and 38 minutes.