Daniil Medvedev Explains Mindset Shift in Brisbane After a Disastrous 2025
Daniil Medvedev hopes to bring back the form that made her World No.1 in early 2022.
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Daniil Medvedev (Image via X/Daniil Medvedev)
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Daniil Medvedev had a disastrous 2025 season. The season was so bad that anything he does in 2026 will look like an improvement over last year. However, he has already reached the Brisbane International final and hopes to secure his first title of the season.
Speaking ahead of the final, Medvedev reveals the change in mindset in 2026. The former World No.1 reveals that this year, he handles situations differently, unlike last year, when he used to get anxious very quickly. Medvedev said in his post-match press conference:
Last year I wasn’t able to handle these situations well. I noticed I got burned out very quickly, I got frustrated very quickly, which is why you saw me angry on the court so often. Let’s just say I had a very short fuse, but things started to change in the last tournaments of the year. Now it’s much simpler because we’re at the beginning of the season. It wouldn’t make sense to explode in the first tournament I play; I don’t explode at the first opportunity anymore. I like to see how I’m behaving on the court, fighting for every point, which is working for now. Now I just need to take the final step.
Medvedev only won one Grand Slam match in 2025, and the decline in results led him to part ways with his long-term coach, Gilles Cervara. He also had separated pathways with Gilles Simon earlier in 2025.
2025 marked the first year since 2020, during which he failed to reach at least one Grand Slam final. His lone Grand Slam triumph came in 2021 at the US Open, where he beat Novak Djokovic in straight sets.
Daniil Medvedev speaks about his Brisbane final opponent
Former World No.1 Daniil Medvedev reached the final of the Brisbane International. He will play for the title on Sunday. Brandon Nakashima will be his opponent. Medvedev said:
I’ve watched some of his matches in this tournament, and it’s clear he’s been playing at a very high level. I think we’ve played a couple of times in the past, but not enough to have a clear idea of what each of our strategies will be. It will be an interesting match; he’s been playing very well, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow in the final.
Medvedev ended the 2025 season on a positive note. He made back-to-back semi-finals in Beijing and Shanghai. He later won the title in Almaty.
That run has helped him start 2026 with confidence. Medvedev leads Nakashima 2–0 in their head-to-head record. The final will test both players. Nakashima earned his spot with a solid win over Aleksandar Kovacevic. He claimed a 7-6(4), 6-4 victory. He has not dropped a set in Brisbane this week.
Daniil Medvedev moves alongside Novak Djokovic in special statistic
Russian tennis star Daniil Medvedev has started 2026 in strong form. He has reached the final stages of the Brisbane International. His performances have looked confident and controlled.
He earned straight-set wins over Marton Fucsovics and Frances Tiafoe. Medvedev then fought back against Kamil Majchrzak. He won 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 to move into the semifinals.
That victory placed him high in an ATP hard-court milestone. It marked the 52nd hard-court semifinal of his career. He moved ahead of Gael Monfils, who sits on 51. Only Novak Djokovic ranks above Medvedev in that category. Djokovic has reached 127 hard-court semifinals. Medvedev’s late-2025 run included semifinals in Beijing, Shanghai, and Almaty.
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