“I want to be that guy again”: Medvedev’s clinical start in Brisbane
A clinical Daniil Medvedev is using a flawless run in Brisbane to signal a tactical evolution and a hunt to reclaim his place among the game’s elite.
Daniil Medvedev, Brisbane 2026 | © Zuma / PsNewz
For the first time in nearly five years, Daniil Medvedev arrived at the Australian summer without the crushing weight of being a tournament favorite. Currently ranked World No. 13 after a turbulent 2025 that saw him exit three Grand Slams in the first round, the 29-year-old looks less like a man defending a territory and more like a hunter reclaiming one.
Through two rounds at the Brisbane International, the results have been clinical. After dismantling Márton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-3, Medvedev, seed No.1, followed up on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-2 masterclass against Frances Tiafoe – a match where he did not face a single break point. It is a stark departure from the “up-and-down” service struggles that defined his previous season.
“I’m happy with the way I served. I think I put a lot of pressure on my serve on him… it’s a tiny bit of extra pressure on his serve when I’m serving that well,” Medvedev noted following the Tiafoe victory. He attributed this stability to his offseason labor, adding: “I’m happy that some things I worked in the preseason seemed to work here.”
The Johansson-Goetzke Influence
This “new” Medvedev is the product of a radical team overhaul. After an eight-year partnership with Gilles Cervara, Medvedev transitioned to a dual-coaching structure with 2002 Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke. The mandate was simple: refine the “unorthodox” and sharpen the “obvious.”
Prior to the tournament, Medvedev highlighted that while he remains a baseline specialist, the net is no longer a “no-fly zone.”
I’m never going to be someone who goes to the net 30 times per match, but if I can make it 8 where before was 6… it’s great
“We work on everything, forehand, backhand, but we try to maybe put a bit more attention to the serve and the volley,” he explained. “I’m never going to be someone who goes to the net 30 times per match, but if I can make it 8 where before was 6… it’s great.”
Beyond the technical, the Russian is placing a premium on a physical durability that deserted him twelve months ago. After a 2025 where he admitted to “chasing the rankings” until he was exhausted, the current version of Medvedev appears revitalized.
“Physically I was struggling a bit [last year]… I made a good preseason, good physical work. I’m feeling very fresh,” he said. “I’m happy with the way I feel on the court, with the way I move, and that’s the most important.”
The Australian Open? Later
Despite the looming shadow of the Australian Open – a tournament where he has reached three finals (2021, 2022, 2024) but never the trophy – Medvedev is refusing to look past the Brisbane draw. His focus is on the “fast phase” of the current court cycle and the physical freshness he lacked a year ago.
“In this moment of my career, I’m a little bit not anymore the favorite guy to win everything,” he admitted earlier this week. “But I will try to, as fast as possible, be again this guy.”
If his clinical first two rounds are any indication, that “favorite” tag may be returning to his name sooner than the field expected.
