match report
Medvedev ends 882-day title drought in Almaty
29-year-old beats Mutai to win 21st tour title
October 19, 2025
ANDREY UDARTSEV/Almaty Open
Daniil Medvedev claimed his first title since Rome 2023 on Sunday in Almaty.
Sam Jacott
Daniil Medvedev’s title drought is over! Eight hundred and eighty-two days after his victory in Rome, the 29-year-old returned to the winner’s circle at the Almaty Open on Sunday when he defeated Frenchman Corentin Moutet, who was chasing his first tour-level title.
Since winning in the Italian capital in 2023, former world number one Medvedev has lost finals at the US Open, Beijing, Vienna, Australian Open, Indian Wells and Halle. However, he ensured there was no late heartbreak in Almaty and is now the second active male player to win 19 hard court titles after Novak Djokovic (71).
In an entertaining final at the ATP 250 event, Medvedev dealt with Mutai’s magic, moving forward effectively to back up his flat shots and close out the points. After a hard-fought battle of 2 hours and 29 minutes, Medvedev won 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and won his 21st tour-level championship. All of Medvedev’s titles were won in different events.
“It was great. I wasn’t very satisfied with my performance at certain moments in the match, but it felt great to win. I played well in the most important moments,” Medvedev said. “The last race was unbelievable and I’m happy to win. It continues my interesting story of winning 21 titles in 21 different cities.”
Medvedev also boosted his slim Nitto ATP finals hopes with a win in Almaty. The former year-end champion moved up three places to 12th at the PIF ATP Turin Live event, 875 points behind eighth-placed Lorenzo Musetti. The Italians reached the final qualifying spot.
Medvedev’s title run in Almaty is his latest success under new coaches Thomas Johnson and Rohan Götzke, having reached the semi-finals in both Beijing and Shanghai. The 29-year-old, who started working with both teams after the U.S. Open, holds a 12-3 record since New York, according to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index.
Mutai is competing in his third Tour-level final and is trying to become the ninth first-time winner of 2025. The Frenchman, who reached the final without dropping a set, has moved up five places to No. 36 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings and will reach a career-high on Monday.
