Resurgent Daniil Medvedev Secures First Championship in Nearly 30 Months
Nineteen of Medvedev's twenty-one victories have been achieved on hard surfaces
A resurgent Medvedev claimed his initial title for nearly 30 months with victory over opponent Moutet in the competition final.
The athlete, a ex- top-ranked player, has had a difficult season, achieving just one win at the big events and suffering a setback at the New York tournament.
Medvedev's inconsistency on the tennis tour - and issues with his serve in specific - caused him dropping out of the world's top 10 and finally parting ways with long-term trainer Gilles Cervara.
Now training with his coach and Rohan Goetzke, he has steadily improved in the past month - peaking in a tightly fought 7-5 4-6 6-3 win over challenger Moutet.
It is the player's first championship since the 2023 Rome Masters and first on a hard court from March of the previous year.
Victory also indicates he has won 21 titles at twenty-one distinct tournaments.
"For the first time I have attended a tournament with my two daughters simultaneously, so to secure a trophy is especially meaningful," said world number 14 the champion.
"This victory is in tribute of my second daughter her name, because the initial championship I achieved when my child my daughter was born was for her."
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion, had failed in his previous six championship matches, featuring in that event in the past months.
His retrieving strategy and regular outbursts on the tennis court had prompted commentators to question if his skill to play at the top level was finished.
But the athlete has altered his approach in recent weeks, attempting to come to the net and perform aggressively, reinforced by an enhanced serving game.
Medvedev came back from a break down in the opening set against the tricky Frenchman, securing four of the final five exchanges to go ahead.
The pair exchanged breaks in the middle set before the Frenchman, bidding for his first tour victory, gained dominance to create a third set.
He defended four early-game opportunities in a tight third set before Medvedev secured a break to that score to serve for the match.
Suitably, the winner secured the title with a rally at the front of the court, with Moutet failing to handle a volley after a lengthy match.
