Nineteen of Daniil Medvedev's twenty-one championships have been earned on hard surfaces
A resurgent Daniil Medvedev won his first trophy for over two years with a win over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open final.
The athlete, a former world number one, has had a torrid season, achieving just one match at the big events and suffering a difficult moment at the American major.
The player's inconsistency on the professional circuit - and issues with his service game in particular - resulted in him exiting of the world's top 10 and finally parting ways with long-term mentor Gilles Cervara.
Now working with Johansson and his other coach, he has consistently advanced in the recent weeks - climaxing in a closely contested 7-5 4-6 6-3 win over opponent Moutet.
This marks his first championship following the 2023 Rome Masters and initial on a hardcourt after March of the previous year.
Success also indicates Medvedev has won twenty-one championships at 21 distinct events.
"It's the first time I'm at a event with my both daughters together, so to secure a title is especially meaningful," stated ranked player the champion.
"This championship is in honour of my younger daughter Victoria, because the initial championship I achieved when my first daughter my daughter was born was for her."
The tennis star, the 2021 US Open champion, had been defeated in his past six finals, including in that event earlier this year.
His defensive approach and frequent emotional displays on the playing surface had led commentators to wonder if his capacity to compete at the top level was concluded.
But the player has made changes in the last few weeks, making an effort to come to the net and play positively, supported by an enhanced service.
He recovered from a deficit in the opening set against the difficult opponent, taking 4 of the concluding five games to gain the advantage.
The competitors exchanged breaks in the middle set before Moutet, striving for his maiden professional victory, gained dominance to create a third set.
Moutet rescued four early opportunities in a competitive deciding set before the champion secured a break to that score to serve for the match.
Appropriately, Medvedev secured the win with a shot at the front of the court, with the Frenchman unable to control a return after over two and a half hours.
