Daniil Medvedev Explains Changes to his Game After Parting Ways With Gilles Cervara

Daniil Medvedev will face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the Shanghai Masters.

Daniil Medvedev Explains Changes to his Game After Parting Ways With Gilles Cervara

Daniil Medvedev and Gilles Cervara (via X/The Tennis Letter)

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Daniil Medvedev has opened up about the changes in his game since parting ways with Gilles Cervara in September. The 29-year-old has failed to win a title on tour since May 2023 and has dropped out of the top 10 in the ATP rankings. Medvedev is now seeking to regain his confidence and consistency that helped him reach the World No.1.

Medvedev has gone 50 tournaments without a title. The former World No.1 has lifted five titles in the first five months of 2023 and was praised for his level of performance on the court. At one time, during that period, he was regarded as the only player who could compete against Novak Djokovic on tour.

But after winning the Rome Masters, he began struggling with form on the court. However, he reached two Grand Slam finals after that, but things got worse for the 2022 US Open champion this season. He managed to win just one Grand Slam match this year, and that came at the Australian Open in January.

After that, he lost in three consecutive opening round matches of the major tournaments, and he didn’t touch his racket for two weeks after that. His last major loss came at the US Open against Benjamin Bonzi, where he smashed his racket – a controversial behavior on the court that stole the headlines. He then announced his split with Cervara, after having worked with him for ten years.

Medvedev has been working with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke since the Hangzhou Open, where he won only one match. At the China Open, Medvedev reached the semi-finals. During an interview with the Shanghai Masters, Medvedev said that a change of coach has given him confidence:

I needed to try something new. My tennis doesn’t need much. When I parted ways with Gilles (Cervara), I didn’t touch a racket for two weeks after the US Open. The day I started playing again, I had the best level of the season, a level of tennis where I would only lose to very few people. That gave me confidence; I just had to find a way to translate it into matches.

Medvedev was one game away from reaching the final of the China Open, but began to suffer from cramps, which led to his opponent Learner Tien coming from behind to lead the match in the third set. Then, Medvedev was forced to retire after the umpire awarded him a time violation, which led to a heated exchange between the Russian star and the umpire.

Daniil Medvedev says the Rolex Shanghai Masters is his “best tournament” on tour

Daniil Medvedev is currently competing at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he’s seeking to win the tournament for the second time in his career. He last won the Shanghai title in 2019 after beating Alexander Zverev in the final. He won his opening match on Saturday (October 4) against Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina.

Daniil Medvedev
Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/TENNISCentel)

During the aforementioned interview, Medvedev stated that the Shanghai Masters is the best tournament on tour. He added that he loves coming to compete at the event as it is his favorite after the Grand Slams:

It’s always been — since the first time I came here — the best tournament we have on Tour if we take out the Grand Slams. Of course it’s just my opinion, but it’s my favorite tournament on Tour. I love coming back here so you can ask me whatever. I’m going to tell you a lot of good things and I love the facilities, I love the courts, I love everything around this place.

Medvedev will now face Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the third round of the Rolex Shanghai Masters. The former World No.1 defeated the Spaniard 6-3, 6-3 in their last meeting at the China Open. He leads Fokina 5-1 in their head-to-head record on tour.

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