Daniil Medvedev is determined to relaunch his career as he heads to the Rolex Shanghai Masters 2025, a tournament he loves. The former World No. 1 and 2021 US Open champion hopes that a fresh coaching setup and renewed mindset will guide him back to the top after a tough season.
A New Phase in Medvedev’s Career
At 29, Medvedev stands at a key moment in his career. The 20-time tour-level champion ended his long partnership with Gilles Cervara after a difficult season. He won only one match across all four majors. Medvedev now works with Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke. He hopes they will help him regain the consistency that once made him dominant.
“It was not an easy decision,” the 2021 US Open champion told ATP Media at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he won the title in 2019. “But at the same time, I’m 29 years old, almost 30 soon, and [I wanted] to try something new in my adult career. Because even when we started with Gilles, I was too young, so it was with my parents a bit. The academy where I was going was designing [my team]… To do it by myself was something nice because it was something new in my life.”
Experience Changes Perspective
Daniil Medvedev admits his priorities have shifted with age. After a hot start in 2023 with five titles, he has played 50 tournaments without another trophy. That drought pushed him to change his approach.
“You look for different things when you’re 20 and when you’re 30,” Medvedev added, speaking exclusively with ATPTour.com. “Because when you’re 20, you’re still a young tennis player so you probably need someone to show you the way. When you are 30, you need someone not to show you the way, but to help you find the way again.”
He also shared the qualities he values in his new coaching team. “It needs to be someone that can listen to you. I think it’s very important in a coaching job,” he said. “Someone we need to get along with for sure. Right now what I found in Thomas and Rohan, it’s great. We have fun on the court, we have fun off the court at the same time. If they need to tell you something, they’re not scared to tell me.”
Frustration Fuels Motivation
Medvedev’s passion for competition remains intact. After a first-round exit at the US Open, he threw racquets into the crowd — a dramatic moment he now sees as a sign he needed change.
“It was just a little bit of desperation,” Medvedev recalled. “And at the same time I was like, ‘The fans are probably going to love it’. There was actually one racquet left in the bag and I didn’t know it. I was for sure disappointed with the result, disappointed with the way I felt on the court, with the way I acted on the court.
“I wanted to let out the frustration, probably not on the court, but I was cramping so I couldn’t stand up. It was for sure an act of desperation and a sign I needed a new start.”
Shanghai Offers a Fresh Opportunity
Medvedev showed promise with a semi-final run in Beijing before retiring due to cramps. He now hopes to build on that momentum in Shanghai — a tournament he ranks among the best.
“Beijing was actually a big step and I need to take another step here in Shanghai. I absolutely love China as a country and I love coming here.
“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,” said the 16th seed. “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 faces Czech qualifier Dalibor Svrcina in his opening match on Saturday, scheduled last on Grandstand 2, which now has a retractable roof. With renewed focus and a new team behind him, Medvedev wants this tournament to mark the start of his return to winning ways.
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