On Sunday, Daniil Medvedev clinched his first title in two years by defeating Corentin Moutet 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 in the ATP 250 final in Almaty.
Since his victory in Rome in May 2023, the world number 14 has fallen short in six finals, including the US Open that year and the Australian Open the following January.
This year, Medvedev exited in the second round in Melbourne and was ousted in the first round at Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.
After the US Open, Medvedev began training with new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, leading to semifinal appearances in Beijing and Shanghai.
His 21st career victory enhances his chances for the ATP Finals, as he climbs to 12th place, trailing Lorenzo Musetti by just 875 points for the last spot.
“It feels great. I wasn’t thrilled with my play at times, but winning is incredible,” Medvedev expressed.
“I performed well on the crucial points.”
The Russian will compete in the ATP 500 in Vienna next week, aiming to further improve his ranking.
After two closely contested sets, Medvedev gained momentum in the final set.
Though Moutet saved four break points at 2-1, Medvedev broke his serve at 4-3 and sealed the match with his serve.
“The last game was amazing, and I’m thrilled to win the title,” said Medvedev. “It adds to my quirky record of 21 titles in 21 different cities.”
Corentin, 26, continues to seek his first career title, having lost his third final after defeats in Doha 2020 and Mallorca this year.
