19 of Daniil Medvedev's 21 championships have been earned on hard courts
A revitalized Daniil Medvedev claimed his first title for 882 days with a win over opponent Moutet in the Almaty Open final.
The athlete, a ex- number one, has endured a torrid season, achieving just a single victory at the Grand Slams and suffering a difficult moment at the New York tournament.
Medvedev's varied form on the professional circuit - and difficulties with his service game in particular - resulted in him exiting of the top ten and ultimately separating with former trainer Gilles Cervara.
Presently collaborating with Johansson and Goetzke, Medvedev has steadily advanced in the recent weeks - culminating in a hard-fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 victory over opponent Moutet.
This marks Medvedev's initial trophy following the 2023 Rome Masters and initial on a hard court after spring of the previous year.
Success also signifies he has achieved twenty-one championships at twenty-one different competitions.
"For the first time I'm at a competition with my children at once, so to get a championship is really nice," said ranked player Daniil Medvedev.
"This championship is in honour of my younger daughter Victoria, because the initial championship I got when my child Alisa was born was for her."
The tennis star, the past champion, had lost his last six finals, including in the German tournament earlier this year.
Medvedev's counter-punching approach and frequent reactions on the playing surface had led commentators to wonder if his capacity to compete at the top level was over.
Yet the athlete has altered his approach in recent weeks, making an effort to approach the net and compete aggressively, reinforced by an better service.
He recovered from a break down in the first set against the challenging opponent, winning four of the last five games to gain the advantage.
The pair traded breaks in the second set before the challenger, bidding for his initial tour title, seized the initiative to create a decider.
The opponent saved 4 early-game chances in a competitive third set before Medvedev broke to 15 to close out the victory.
Suitably, Medvedev clinched victory with a rally at the net area, with his opponent failing to handle a shot after a lengthy match.
