It’s finally happened for Daniil Medvedev! The Russian snapped his 882-day title drought in Almaty, claiming his 21st ATP crown. Since winning the 2023 Rome Masters, it’s been a long, frustrating road. He couldn’t close it out at Slams, Masters 1000s, or even 500s. The near-misses piled up in New York, Beijing, Vienna, Melbourne, Indian Wells, and Halle. Now, it’s a sweet relief at this ATP 250. And what changed? Just one big move, a coaching switch that seems to have paid off. But how does Daniil really feel about it?

To catch you up, last month after his first-round exit in New York, Medvedev announced his split with longtime coach Gilles Cervara. The pair spent eight years together, sharing some of the biggest highs of his career, including that unforgettable 2021 US Open win. Their partnership ended quietly, without much explanation. Daniil did, however, confirm his new setup with Thomas Johansson. Interestingly, Johansson wasn’t in Almaty this week.

After his win, Daniil Medvedev opened up to Sport Express about his new team, Johansson’s absence, and his current relationship with Cervara. And the Russian didn’t hold back. “I haven’t looked at all the messages yet. Gilles and I aren’t in touch. That’s perfectly normal. We’re on great terms, but I don’t think we’ll keep in touch. When he starts working with someone, we’ll probably see each other at tournaments. Maybe we’ll talk there. And on the phone? That’s a closed chapter for both of us. I don’t even know if he’ll write. He probably will. We’ll see. I haven’t seen him yet.” Pretty definite answer, right?

Their partnership was one of the most talked about on tour. Cervara guided Medvedev from the start of his rise all the way to the top of the sport. From 2017 to 2025, they captured 20 ATP titles together, proving Daniil’s class across every surface. After his first trophy in Sydney in 2018, the Russian shot up the rankings, quickly challenging the game’s elite. Together, they checked off everything; the US Open, six Masters 1000s, the ATP Finals, four 500s, and eight 250s. When Medvedev hit world number one in 2022, he did what no one outside the Big Four had managed since 2004.

So when news of their split broke, fans were stunned. It wasn’t Daniil Medvedev’s only change this season either. Back in February, he also ended his collaboration with Gilles Simon, who had been part of his team since 2022. Additionally, while Daniil didn’t speak on the split with Cervara, the ex-coach did share his sentiments on Instagram: “I am grateful and happy for all the great things and wonderful experiences we were able to experience together on the court during these eight years. It will remain etched in my memory forever. I thank you for placing your trust in me. I gave EVERYTHING, every second, for our shared goals.”

Now, although Medvedev didn’t share too many details this time, he sounded optimistic about the road ahead with Johansson and Rohan Götzke. “I came to Almaty with Rohan Götzke. We chatted a little about the match. When you have a title, you talk less about the game itself. Just: ‘Bravo! Congratulations! Great job! Let’s keep working.’”

And it truly was a reason to celebrate. Medvedev went all in to lift the Almaty trophy, sealing a long-awaited comeback moment. A title that felt like a reward and a fresh start.

Daniil Medvedev’s win at the Almaty Open receievs a heartwarming dedication

On Sunday, the 29-year-old defeated Frenchman Corentin Moutet in a gripping Almaty Open final. He worked his way past Moutet’s tricky shot-making, charging forward to finish points with confidence. After two hours and 29 minutes of tense rallies, Medvedev sealed a 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 win to claim his 21st ATP title. Remarkably, every one of his trophies has come at a different event.

During the ceremony, he celebrated in true Kazakh style, wearing a chapan, a traditional robe that stands for honor and excellence. The smile on his face said it all as he gave a heartfelt thank you. “I want to thank my family, my beautiful wife, my two daughters. It is the first time I have been at a tournament with my two daughters and wife together, so to get a title is really nice,” Medvedev said, “I honour this title to my second daughter Victoria, because the first title I got when my first daughter Alisa was born was for her, so this one is for Victoria.”

The former World No. 1 made sure there was no more final heartbreak in Almaty. He also reached another impressive milestone, becoming just the second active men’s player to win 19 hard-court titles, sitting alongside Novak Djokovic, who owns 71.

Next stop, Vienna. Medvedev will arrive at the ATP 500 event as the sixth seed and faces Portugal’s Nuno Borges in his opening match on Tuesday, October 21. After finally breaking through, the question is simple, can he keep this run going? We’d love to hear your thoughts on this!