Nineteen of Daniil Medvedev's twenty-one titles have been earned on hard surfaces
A comeback Daniil Medvedev claimed his first championship for nearly 30 months with victory over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open final.
The athlete, a former top-ranked player, has endured a difficult period, achieving just a single victory at the big events and experiencing a setback at the US Open.
The player's inconsistency on the ATP Tour - and struggles with his serving in particular - resulted in him falling of the top ten and finally splitting with former trainer Gilles Cervara.
Presently working with Johansson and his other coach, the tennis star has gradually advanced in the past month - culminating in a closely contested competitive win over Frenchman Moutet.
It is the player's first trophy after the 2023 Rome Masters and first on a hardcourt from spring of 2023.
Victory also signifies he has achieved twenty-one victories at 21 different competitions.
"For the first time I'm at a competition with my two daughters together, so to secure a trophy is really nice," commented world number 14 the champion.
"This title is in honour of my second daughter Victoria, because the initial championship I achieved when my child her name was delivered was for her."
The athlete, the 2021 US Open champion, had been defeated in his last six finals, featuring in that event earlier this year.
Medvedev's counter-punching approach and recurring emotional displays on court had led observers to wonder if his ability to perform at the top level was over.
Yet the athlete has made changes in recent weeks, making an effort to come to the net and compete assertively, supported by an better service.
The champion fought back from a break down in the opening set against the tricky Moutet, taking four of the last five exchanges to gain the advantage.
The competitors traded break points in the second set before Moutet, attempting for his initial ATP Tour championship, took control to create a third set.
The opponent rescued 4 initial opportunities in a close third set before the champion secured a break to fifteen to serve for the match.
Appropriately, the winner clinched the win with a point at the front of the court, with Moutet unable to control a return after a lengthy match.
