Revitalized Daniil Medvedev Claims Maiden Championship in Nearly 30 Months
Nineteen of Daniil Medvedev's twenty-one championships have been won on hardcourt
A comeback Daniil Medvedev secured his initial trophy for nearly 30 months with a win over Frenchman Moutet in the Almaty Open title decider.
The Russian, a former number one, has experienced a torrid year, winning just one match at the Grand Slams and undergoing a meltdown at the US Open.
His unpredictability on the ATP Tour - and struggles with his serving in particular - resulted in him dropping out of the elite rankings and finally separating with former trainer Cervara.
Now training with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, Medvedev has consistently improved in the last few weeks - climaxing in a hard-fought three-set win over opponent Moutet.
This marks Medvedev's first championship after the Italian tournament and first on a hardcourt from that period of the previous year.
The win also signifies the Russian has won twenty-one victories at twenty-one different tournaments.
"For the first time I have attended a competition with my two daughters at once, so to win a title is particularly special," said world number 14 Medvedev.
"This title is in tribute of my second daughter my daughter, because the maiden victory I got when my child Alisa was delivered was for her."
The athlete, the former major winner, had failed in his previous six title deciders, including in the German tournament in the past months.
Medvedev's retrieving approach and regular outbursts on the playing surface had led some to doubt if his capacity to compete at the top level was concluded.
But the athlete has implemented adjustments in recent weeks, striving to come to the net and compete aggressively, reinforced by an improved serve.
He came back from a deficit in the first set against the difficult opponent, taking 4 of the final five exchanges to take the lead.
Both players exchanged break points in the following set before Moutet, striving for his first ATP Tour victory, took control to push for a final set.
The opponent saved 4 initial opportunities in a tight deciding set before the champion secured a break to fifteen to close out the victory.
Appropriately, he secured victory with a shot at the front of the court, with Moutet unable to control a return after a lengthy match.
