“Top 5 Level”: Medvedev’s Brisbane Resurgence and the long road back
Revived by a technical overhaul and a rare extended preseason, World No. 13 Daniil Medvedev is using the Brisbane International to prove that his “horror” 2025 was a glitch, not the end of his prime.
Daniil Medvedev, Brisbane 2026 | © Imago / PsNewz
For a man who has spent 16 weeks at World No. 1, being ranked 13th feels like an anomaly. Yet, that is exactly where Daniil Medvedev began his 2026 campaign. After a 2025 season he candidly labeled “horrible” – a year defined by a title drought that lasted until Almaty in October and a string of demoralizing first-round exits at Roland-Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open – the 29-year-old arrived in Australia with everything to prove.
Through four matches at the Brisbane International, the Russian has looked less like a player in decline and more like a champion restored. After back-to-back straight-set dismissals of Márton Fucsovics (6-2, 6-3) and Frances Tiafoe (6-3, 6-2), Medvedev survived a grueling tactical test against Kamil Majchrzak (6-7, 6-3, 6-2) in the quarterfinals. On Saturday, he clinicaly dismantled the rising Alex Michelsen (6-4, 6-2) to reach his 41st tour-level final.
“Second and third set [against Majchrzak], top-5 level, for sure,” Medvedev remarked. “Amazing, not missing much, running well, serving like hell, volleys, everything.”
The Technical Reset
This resurgence is rooted in a total structural reset. After ending his long-term partnership with Gilles Cervara in late 2025, Medvedev has moved into a new technical environment led by Thomas Johansson and supported by technical specialist Rohan Goetzke. Leveraging his first long preseason in seven years, Medvedev has shifted away from the defensive grinding that characterized his slump and toward an aggressive, serve-centric game.
“I’m just trying to bring on match court things that I have been working on the practice,” Medvedev noted. “The volley and the serve… it seems that it’s working a little bit better.”
The Final Challenge
To secure his 22nd career title, Medvedev must now overcome Brandon Nakashima in Sunday’s final. While the American is currently in peak form, having not dropped a set all week, the historical data favors the top seed. Medvedev leads their Head-to-Head 2-0, including a convincing straight-sets win at Indian Wells and a three-set battle on the clay of Madrid last season.
While Medvedev remains cautious about claiming he is “back” at the level of Sinner or Alcaraz—noting he “didn’t play good enough to even meet them” last year—the “Top 5” flashes in Brisbane suggest the hunter is back on the trail.
