19 of Daniil Medvedev's twenty-one victories have been achieved on hardcourt
A comeback Daniil Medvedev secured his first trophy for 882 days with success over Frenchman Moutet in the Almaty Open final.
The Russian, a ex- number one, has endured a torrid year, winning just one match at the major tournaments and undergoing a meltdown at the American major.
Medvedev's varied form on the ATP Tour - and struggles with his serve in especial - resulted in him dropping out of the world's top 10 and ultimately separating with long-time coach Gilles Cervara.
Presently training with his coach and Rohan Goetzke, he has steadily improved in the recent weeks - climaxing in a closely contested three-set victory over opponent Moutet.
This marks his maiden trophy since the 2023 Rome Masters and initial on a hard surface since spring of 2023.
Victory also signifies he has secured twenty-one championships at twenty-one different tournaments.
"This marks the first occasion I have attended a event with my two daughters at once, so to secure a championship is especially meaningful," commented world number 14 Daniil Medvedev.
"This title is in honour of my second daughter her name, because the maiden victory I won when my first daughter Alisa was born was for her."
The tennis star, the former major winner, had been defeated in his previous six title deciders, comprising in the German tournament in the past months.
His counter-punching strategy and recurring emotional displays on the playing surface had caused some to wonder if his skill to perform at the highest level was over.
But the athlete has made changes in the last few weeks, striving to approach the net and compete assertively, reinforced by an enhanced serve.
He recovered from a deficit in the initial set against the tricky opponent, winning four of the concluding five exchanges to take the lead.
The competitors traded breaks in the following set before the Frenchman, attempting for his maiden tour title, gained dominance to create a decider.
Moutet defended 4 early-game chances in a competitive final set before the champion won the break to 15 to close out the victory.
Fittingly, he clinched the win with a point at the front of the court, with Moutet failing to control a shot after over two and a half hours.
