“Maybe it’s good I didn’t win”: Daniil Medvedev explains why his US struggles saved his team from another change
ATP
Daniil Medvedev has offered an unusual explanation for why a disappointing stretch in the United States may have been useful for him, arguing that a lack of big results prevented him from making another impulsive change to his team.
The Russian has gone through another period of adjustments around his coaching set-up this season, while his results also became increasingly inconsistent during the American swing. He lost to Brandon Nakashima in Cincinnati third round after holding three match points, fell to Martin Damm Jr. in Winston-Salem second round, and reached the fourth round of the US Open before losing to Frances Tiafoe.
Those results came after Medvedev had already made changes around him following the end of his long partnership with Gilles Cervara. Thomas Johansson subsequently left the team, while Andrey Golubev joined for the Cincinnati and US Open swing, adding another chapter to a period in which Medvedev has been searching for the right formula.
Medvedev sees a different lesson in US struggles
The changes around Medvedev have been significant since the end of his eight-year partnership with Cervara. Johansson and Goetzke initially formed his new coaching set-up, with Medvedev winning Almaty, Brisbane and Dubai and reaching the Indian Wells final and Rome semifinals during their collaboration.
Johansson departed after Wimbledon, while Golubev became the latest addition during the North American hard-court swing.
Medvedev, however, does not believe another poor result should automatically lead to another change. Asked about the difficulties he experienced in the United States, he explained why he may actually be grateful that he did not win a title there.
“Maybe it’s good that in America I didn’t win, didn’t win titles. Otherwise I would have started changing my team every two months,” the former world No. 1 said in an interview with Bolshe! “One match lost, that’s it, like in football. One match lost, that’s it, we change. We look for new energy. The problem is always within you. But it can be within you because of external things. You can never really know. You just have to try to get better every day.”
The timing is notable because Medvedev has now made another adjustment. Golubev, a former world No. 33 who retired from playing in 2024, joined him in Cincinnati for his first coaching role at that level. Medvedev said at the time that he wanted someone who could understand his situation, while also describing the partnership as a new adventure.
Whatever the long-term composition of his team, the immediate results in China have been strong. Medvedev opened his Hangzhou campaign by beating Valentin Royer, then survived a three-set quarter-final against Coleman Wong before defeating Roman Safiullin 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals. He then produced one of his best serving performances of the season against Rublev, hitting 23 aces and committing only two double faults in 93 minutes.
The title was Medvedev's third of 2026 after Brisbane and Dubai, taking his career total to 24. It was also his 22nd title on hard courts, moving him level with Michael Chang, Stefan Edberg and John McEnroe for 11th place on the Open Era list. His season record stands at 38-16, with 27 of those victories coming on hard courts.
Most hard-court singles titles in the Open Era
| Player | Hard-court titles | |
| 1 | Novak Djokovic | 72 |
| 2 | Roger Federer | 71 |
| 3 | Andre Agassi | 46 |
| 4 | Jimmy Connors | 43 |
| 5 | Pete Sampras | 36 |
| 6 | Andy Murray | 34 |
| 7 | Ivan Lendl | 31 |
| 8 | Rod Laver | 25 |
| (=) | Rafael Nadal | 25 |
| 10 | Jannik Sinner | 23 |
| 11 | Daniil Medvedev | 22 |
| (=) | Stefan Edberg | 22 |
| (=) | John McEnroe | 22 |
| (=) | Michael Chang | 22 |
| 15 | Andy Roddick | 21 |
ATP Finals becomes the target
The Hangzhou result also has a direct impact on the final weeks of Medvedev's season. He entered the tournament eighth in the ATP Race to Turin and retained that position after collecting the 250 points on offer. He also opened a significant gap over Rafael Jodar in ninth, giving himself more room in the battle for the final qualifying spot.
For Medvedev, however, qualification is not something he wants to calculate too far ahead. He missed the ATP Finals in 2025 for the first time since 2018, having previously qualified for six consecutive editions from 2019 to 2024 and won the title in 2020.
“For this season, 100%, that’s the main remaining goal,” the Russian said when asked about qualifying for Turin. “I’ll never follow that closely… I just need to win the next match. If I lose in the first rounds, then I probably won’t be there. So the goal is there, but I have to achieve it step by step.”
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The race now moves to Beijing, where Medvedev will face qualifier Pablo Carreno Busta in the opening round of the ATP 500. The Russian has a strong recent record at the China Open, reaching the final in 2023 before making the semifinals in both 2024 and 2025.
The remaining weeks will determine whether Medvedev's recent momentum is enough to take him back to the ATP Finals, a tournament he won in 2020 and where he competed in six consecutive editions between 2019 and 2024.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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