Daniil Medvedev says it is not true that he and Gilles Cervara split only because of one reason as the 2021 US Open champion acknowledges the results "were not satisfactory" but also admits that he wanted to try something new.
After failing to win a title in 2024 and then also struggling throughout the first part of the 2025 season, things got even rougher for the Russian during the grass and North American hard-court swings. And after losing to Benjamin Bonzi in the US Open first round - in what was his third consecutive loss - the 29-year-old decided to fire Cervara, his coach of eight years.
Since then, Medvedev has added Thomas Johansson to his team. Already in their second tournament together, the current world No. 18 showed some positive signs and reached the semifinal of the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing.
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Medvedev on his split with Cervara: When people split, it is never because of one reason
When people disperse, it cant be just one reason; there must be many. The results were, of course, unsatisfactory, and the way I felt on court was not good enough. Plus, after all, Im 29 years old, and Ive always been interested in trying something new. It was, in a way, the perfect moment, so we had a good conversation. It was pretty soon after the US Open, and he basically agreed, and we ended everything on a good note," the 20-time ATP champion told Russian tennis journalist Sofya Tartakova on Bolshe.
Medvedev, who will turn 30 in February, hasn't won a title since 2023 May and he is no longer regarded as a top contender for the Grand Slam and Masters titles. But the Russian is still trying and evidently still holding hope that he can regain his past form.
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Medvedev is now set to play at the Shanghai Masters. The Russian had a first-round bye at the tournament, and he kicks off his campaign on Saturday by taking on Dalibor Svrcina.
