The Russian Daniil Medvedev speaks in front of the Australian Open 2026 about his new team, his feeling for the game – and the belief in further Grand Slam titles.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edited: January 17, 2026, 8:21 a.m
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There was a phase when Daniil Medvedev seemed a bit lost between experiments, expectations and a game that he no longer seemed to like playing. His self-analysis is now all the clearer. Before the Australian Open 2026, Daniil Medvedev presented himself confident, calm and surprisingly determined – with a fresh title in Brisbane under his belt. The former world number one said he had found his best version again – the tennis that once took him to the top. And he left no doubt that he sees himself in a position to win the big titles again if he performs at his best level.
Melbourne is still missing
A key component of this new clarity is the change in one’s environment. Medvedev explained that the intensive preparation with his new team had noticeably benefited him, regardless of the fact that he had recently been successful again in sport. The separation from long-term coach Gilles Cervara was not a break, but a necessary step. He was looking for coaches who understand his style of play and don’t want to reshape it, but rather work specifically on details – for example when serving or at the net. If one is honest, these words also sound like a reckoning with a phase in which too much was changed and his game plunged more and more into chaos.
The fact that Medvedev is once again broad-chested is also evident in how he deals with his goals. He said he was aware that he could win Grand Slam tournaments again at the top level – without any pathos. At the same time, he allowed himself a joking look at a curious statistic: 22 titles in 22 different cities are already on his balance sheet. Melbourne is still missing. The bottom line for him is less about new records than about old certainties – namely about winning again where he has already achieved it before.
Here is the program for Sunday at the Australian Open 2026
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Daniil Medvedev
