19 of Daniil Medvedev's 21 titles have been earned on hard courts
A revitalized Daniil Medvedev won his maiden title for nearly 30 months with victory over Corentin Moutet in the competition final.
Medvedev, a former top-ranked player, has had a challenging year, winning just a single victory at the Grand Slams and experiencing a difficult moment at the New York tournament.
The player's inconsistency on the ATP Tour - and issues with his service game in specific - caused him exiting of the elite rankings and eventually parting ways with long-time coach Gilles Cervara.
Currently working with Johansson and Goetzke, he has gradually advanced in the last few weeks - peaking in a tightly fought three-set victory over challenger Corentin Moutet.
It is Medvedev's initial trophy following the Rome competition and first on a hard surface after that period of 2023.
Victory also means Medvedev has secured twenty-one victories at twenty-one distinct events.
"It's the first time I have attended a event with my children together, so to win a title is particularly special," commented ranked player Medvedev.
"This title is in dedication of my child her name, because the initial championship I won when my child Alisa was born was for her."
The tennis star, the past champion, had been defeated in his past six championship matches, including in that event previously this season.
His defensive strategy and recurring outbursts on court had caused some to question if his skill to perform at the highest level was over.
Yet the athlete has made changes in recent weeks, attempting to approach the net and play aggressively, supported by an enhanced serve.
Medvedev fought back from a disadvantage in the opening set against the challenging Moutet, taking four of the last five games to go ahead.
The competitors traded service breaks in the following set before the Frenchman, striving for his first professional championship, took control to push for a decider.
The opponent rescued four early break points in a tight final set before the Russian broke to 15 to serve for the match.
Appropriately, Medvedev clinched victory with a point at the net, with Moutet unable to handle a return after over two and a half hours.