Daniil Medvedev has essentially ended his 2025 season, after being defeated by Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals of the Paris Masters 1000 this week by wasting two match points in the third set.
Beyond this disappointment, it is not wrong to say that the former world number 1 has been sending positive signs since he changed teams and approached his best level again. The Russian ace has lost some matches that he could have won in the last part of the season, but his performances have become more consistent from all points of view and he also seems to have found the right motivation after a deep crisis.
Medvedev ends his season
The champion from Moscow had little chance of getting a place at the Nitto ATP Finals, scheduled in Turin from 9 to 16 November, because he was supposed to lift the trophy in both Paris and Metz. For this reason, he decided to skip the ATP 250 in France having no chance of qualifying for Turin and wanting to recharge his batteries.
He will have to work harder than ever during the off-season, as 2026 is set to be a decisive year for his future. The winner of the 2021 US Open absolutely must return to the level he deserves and cannot settle for a secondary role, which is why his choice to rely on two new coaches seemed correct. In the latter part of 2025, the former world No.1 also broke a curse by returning to lift an ATP trophy more than two years after the last time (he prevailed in Almaty).
His next huge goal is the 2026 Australian Open, a tournament where he has often expressed his best tennis although he has never managed to win. Daniil has two particular regrets related to the Happy Slam, as he was ahead by two sets respectively against Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner in the finals of the 2022 and 2024 editions, before being recovered in both cases.
