🔗 Share this article Resurgent Daniil Medvedev Claims Maiden Title in Nearly 30 Months Nineteen of the Russian's 21 victories have been earned on hard surfaces A comeback Daniil Medvedev secured his maiden title for over two years with a win over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open final. The Russian, a ex- top-ranked player, has had a challenging year, achieving just one win at the Grand Slams and undergoing a meltdown at the US Open. His unpredictability on the tennis tour - and issues with his serve in specific - caused him dropping out of the world's top 10 and finally separating with long-time mentor Gilles Cervara. Presently working with his coach and Rohan Goetzke, the tennis star has steadily improved in the past month - climaxing in a closely contested three-set win over opponent Moutet. This marks his maiden title following the Rome competition and maiden on a hard court since that period of the previous year. Success also means the Russian has secured 21 titles at twenty-one distinct tournaments. "It's the first time I am participating in a event with my two daughters together, so to get a championship is particularly special," commented world number 14 Medvedev. "This title is in dedication of my second daughter her name, because the initial championship I got when my child her name was born was for her." Medvedev, the past champion, had been defeated in his last six championship matches, including in Halle earlier this year. Medvedev's defensive play style and recurring outbursts on the tennis court had prompted some to question if his capacity to play at the highest level was over. But the 29-year-old has altered his approach in the last few weeks, striving to approach the net and perform assertively, reinforced by an better serve. The champion recovered from a deficit in the initial set against the difficult Frenchman, winning 4 of the concluding five exchanges to gain the advantage. The pair swapped break points in the following set before the Frenchman, bidding for his first tour title, took control to create a decider. He saved 4 early-game chances in a tight final set before the champion broke to that score to close out the victory. Fittingly, Medvedev clinched the win with a shot at the net, with his opponent unable to control a shot after over two and a half hours.