Daniil Medvedev’s title drought is over! Eight hundred and eighty-two days after his victory in Rome, the 29-year-old returned to the winners’ circle of the Almaty Open on Sunday, beating Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who was chasing his first tour-level title.
Since his victory in the Italian capital in 2023, former world number 1 Medvedev had lost finals at the US Open, Beijing, Vienna, Australian Open, Indian Wells and Halle. However, he ensured that there would be no more final heartbreak in Almaty and is now only the second active male player to win 19 hard court titles, next to Novak Djokovic (71).
In an entertaining final at the ATP 250 event, Medvedev was able to deal with Moutet’s wizardry, moving forward effectively to support his flat groundstrokes and close out points. With his hard-fought two-hour, 29-minute 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win, Medvedev captured his 21st tour-level crown. All of Medvedev’s titles have been won at various events.
“It’s great. At some points in the match I wasn’t super happy with how I played, but to win feels great. I played well in the most important points,” Medvedev said. “The last game was incredible and I’m happy to have won the title. It continues my funny story of 21 titles in 21 different cities.”
Medvedev also boosted his dim Nitto ATP Finals hopes with victory in Almaty. The former year-end champion has risen three places to twelfth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, 875 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti. The Italian is in the last qualifying spot.
Medvedev’s title run in Almaty is his latest success under new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, after reaching the semi-finals in Beijing and Shanghai. The 29-year-old started working with both after the US Open, and he has a 12-3 record since New York, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index.
Moutet was competing in his third tour-level final, attempting to become the ninth first-time winner in 2025. The Frenchman, who did not drop a set en route to the final, is five places higher than No. 36 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will rise to a career high on Monday.
[NEWSLETTER FORM]
#Medvedev #ends #882day #title #drought #Almaty