Resurgent Daniil Medvedev Claims First Championship in Over Two Years
19 of Medvedev's 21 victories have been achieved on hard courts
A revitalized Daniil Medvedev secured his initial championship for 882 days with success over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open championship match.
Medvedev, a former number one, has had a challenging period, winning just one match at the Grand Slams and undergoing a difficult moment at the US Open.
His varied form on the professional circuit - and issues with his serve in especial - resulted in him exiting of the top ten and ultimately parting ways with long-time trainer his previous coach.
Now training with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke, he has gradually progressed in the past month - peaking in a closely contested three-set win over challenger Moutet.
This marks the player's first championship after the Rome competition and initial on a hard surface since that period of that year.
Victory also means Medvedev has secured twenty-one titles at twenty-one various tournaments.
"This marks the first occasion I am participating in a competition with my two daughters simultaneously, so to win a championship is really nice," stated world number 14 the champion.
"This championship is in dedication of my younger daughter her name, because the first title I achieved when my child her name was born was for her."
Medvedev, the former major winner, had been defeated in his previous six championship matches, featuring in Halle previously this season.
Medvedev's retrieving play style and recurring emotional displays on the playing surface had led some to doubt if his capacity to perform at the top level was over.
But the 29-year-old has altered his approach in the past month, making an effort to come to the net and perform aggressively, supported by an better service.
Medvedev came back from a deficit in the opening set against the tricky Frenchman, winning 4 of the last five points to gain the advantage.
The competitors swapped service breaks in the middle set before Moutet, striving for his initial ATP Tour victory, seized the initiative to force a final set.
He defended four initial opportunities in a close final set before the champion broke to 15 to serve for the match.
Appropriately, the winner earned victory with a shot at the net, with the Frenchman incapable to handle a return after a lengthy match.
