Comeback Medvedev Claims First Trophy in Nearly 30 Months
Nineteen of Medvedev's twenty-one titles have been won on hard courts
A comeback Medvedev claimed his first title for over two years with a win over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open championship match.
Medvedev, a former top-ranked player, has had a difficult season, managing just one match at the major tournaments and suffering a difficult moment at the American major.
Medvedev's unpredictability on the professional circuit - and difficulties with his service game in specific - led to him falling of the elite rankings and eventually separating with long-term mentor his previous coach.
Now working with Johansson and his other coach, he has gradually improved in the last few weeks - culminating in a hard-fought three-set triumph over Frenchman Moutet.
This marks Medvedev's first title following the Rome competition and first on a hardcourt from spring of that year.
Victory also signifies he has achieved 21 titles at twenty-one distinct tournaments.
"This marks the first occasion I am participating in a competition with my two daughters together, so to secure a title is especially meaningful," stated tennis professional Medvedev.
"This championship is in tribute of my second daughter Victoria, because the initial championship I got when my first daughter Alisa was born was for her."
The tennis star, the past champion, had been defeated in his past six title deciders, comprising in Halle previously this season.
Medvedev's counter-punching play style and regular emotional displays on the tennis court had led some to doubt if his skill to perform at the elite level was over.
Yet the 29-year-old has altered his approach in recent weeks, making an effort to advance forward and perform assertively, reinforced by an improved serve.
Medvedev came back from a disadvantage in the first set against the difficult Frenchman, securing four of the concluding five points to go ahead.
Both players swapped break points in the following set before Moutet, striving for his initial tour championship, gained dominance to force a third set.
He defended 4 initial opportunities in a close deciding set before Medvedev won the break to that score to secure the win.
Fittingly, Medvedev earned victory with a point at the front of the court, with Moutet incapable to manage a return after over two and a half hours.
