19 of Daniil Medvedev's 21 titles have been earned on hard surfaces
A resurgent Daniil Medvedev claimed his first championship for nearly 30 months with victory over opponent Moutet in the Almaty Open final.
The athlete, a former top-ranked player, has endured a difficult period, managing just one win at the Grand Slams and experiencing a difficult moment at the New York tournament.
Medvedev's varied form on the ATP Tour - and issues with his serve in particular - caused him falling of the elite rankings and eventually separating with former mentor Cervara.
Now collaborating with Thomas Johansson and Goetzke, the tennis star has steadily advanced in the last few weeks - climaxing in a closely contested 7-5 4-6 6-3 triumph over challenger Corentin Moutet.
This marks his first championship after the Rome competition and first on a hard surface from that period of the previous year.
Success also signifies the Russian has won 21 titles at twenty-one different events.
"For the first time I have attended a competition with my two daughters at once, so to secure a title is especially meaningful," stated world number 14 Daniil Medvedev.
"This championship is in honour of my child my daughter, because the initial championship I achieved when my older daughter her name was delivered was for her."
Medvedev, the past champion, had lost his past six finals, including in that event earlier this year.
Medvedev's defensive play style and frequent reactions on the playing surface had caused commentators to doubt if his capacity to compete at the elite level was over.
Yet the 29-year-old has made changes in the past month, attempting to come to the net and perform assertively, reinforced by an better serving game.
The champion came back from a deficit in the opening set against the difficult Frenchman, taking 4 of the last five games to go ahead.
Both players traded breaks in the middle set before the Frenchman, bidding for his maiden tour victory, seized the initiative to force a third set.
He saved four early opportunities in a tight deciding set before the champion secured a break to that score to close out the victory.
Suitably, Medvedev clinched victory with a shot at the net, with the Frenchman failing to handle a volley after over two and a half hours.
