Comeback Daniil Medvedev Claims Maiden Title in 882 Days
19 of Daniil Medvedev's twenty-one victories have been earned on hard surfaces
A resurgent Daniil Medvedev won his first title for 882 days with a win over Corentin Moutet in the tournament final.
The Russian, a former number one, has endured a difficult period, winning just one match at the major tournaments and suffering a difficult moment at the New York tournament.
Medvedev's unpredictability on the professional circuit - and issues with his serving in specific - resulted in him dropping out of the elite rankings and eventually parting ways with long-time trainer his previous coach.
Presently collaborating with his coach and Rohan Goetzke, he has gradually advanced in the past month - culminating in a tightly fought competitive win over Frenchman Moutet.
It is Medvedev's first championship since the Italian tournament and first on a hardcourt after spring of the previous year.
The win also means the Russian has achieved 21 championships at 21 different competitions.
"It's the first time I am participating in a competition with my children at once, so to get a trophy is especially meaningful," stated world number 14 the champion.
"This title is in honour of my younger daughter Victoria, because the initial championship I achieved when my older daughter my daughter was born was for her."
Medvedev, the former major winner, had failed in his past six finals, featuring in Halle earlier this year.
Medvedev's retrieving play style and frequent outbursts on the tennis court had led commentators to question if his capacity to perform at the highest level was over.
However the 29-year-old has made changes in the last few weeks, attempting to approach the net and compete aggressively, backed up by an improved serving game.
He fought back from a disadvantage in the opening set against the challenging opponent, taking four of the final five games to take the lead.
The pair traded service breaks in the middle set before Moutet, bidding for his first professional victory, gained dominance to force a third set.
Moutet rescued 4 early-game break points in a close final set before the champion secured a break to that score to secure the win.
Appropriately, Medvedev clinched the win with a rally at the net, with Moutet unable to handle a volley after over two and a half hours.
