Daniil Medvedev in Full Confidence Heading into the Australian Open After Impressive Form in Brisbane

Daniil Medvedev maintained his impressive start to the season form after claiming his second consecutive victory at the Brisbane International. The Russian star is yet to drop a set at the ATP 500 tournament and has not spent more than an hour and a half in a round on the court this year.

He opened his campaign with a victory over Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-3 in the first round of the Brisbane International. He maintained the perfect record against Frances Tiafoe on Wednesday (January 7), beating the American star to earn his place in the 90th tour-level quarter-finals of his career.

He did not face a break point against Tiafoe as he dominated the game, winning 91 percent of his first serve points, which led him to claim a 6-3, 6-2 win in just an hour and one minute in Queensland. Medvedev is chasing his 22nd tour-level title in Brisbane and has now extended his record against Tiafoe to 6-1.

Medvedev doesn’t want a repeat of last season’s Grand Slam run this year as he heads into the Australian Open with confidence. In 2025, he managed to win just one major tournament match, crashing in the first round of the French Open, Wimbledon Championships, and the US Open.

However, he will have to win the Brisbane International or reach the final to avoid facing the top 4 players early in the Australian Open. During his post-match press conference in Brisbane, the former US Open champion said that he feels fresh mentally and physically, and he’s confident of playing well at the Melbourne Grand Slam:

I thought I played much better than in the first round, didn’t face a break point, and that puts a lot of pressure on the opponent… I feel very fresh physically and mentally. I had a great preseason, and I believe I have left behind the fatigue issues I had last year when I was forced to play many matches after losing ranking points when I didn’t feel in top form. I feel confident heading into the 2026 Australian Open.

Medvedev has fond memories in Brisbane, having advanced to the final in his previous appearance in 2019. The World No.13 will face the in-form Kamil Majchrzak in the quarter-finals after the Polish star defeated Reilly Opelka in 6-7(2), 7-6(7), 7-6(8), after saving three match points.

Daniil Medvedev admits changes in his game came after appointing his new coaches

Daniil Medvedev’s third consecutive opening round Grand Slam loss at the US Open in August forced him to part ways with his long-term coach Gilles Cervara. The 29-year-old hired Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke in September, and his game has significantly improved. He won his first title in almost two years at the Almaty Open in October.

He then reached the semi-finals of the China Open and Rolex Shanghai Masters. During the aforementioned press conference, he noted that his partnership with his two new coaches has been incredible. He noted that he has made improvements in his game as they fully understand his style of play:

I love working with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke because I feel they fully grasp what my playing style is and they respect it. We are working hard to improve certain aspects, such as my serve and volley, while maintaining my own essence. I am very happy with the instructions they give me on the court and the way they perceive my tennis.

Medvedev hopes Johansson and Goetzke will retire with his full confidence at the Australian Open. He has a chance of climbing back into the top 10 of the ATP rankings by just putting in a more consistent performance in the first half of the season and Grand Slam tournaments.

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