After eight seasons together, Daniil Medvedev and Gilles Cervara have ended their partnership.
The news was broken by the Frenchman via a post on Instagram, in which he spoke warmly of Medvedev and reflected on the eventful period the pair shared.
Cervara first joined forces with the Russian back in 2017, when Medvedev was still a new arrival in the ATP’s top 100. Over the intervening eight years, the Frenchman has overseen Medvedev’s transformation into one of the finest players in men’s tennis.
Particular highlights include a maiden Grand Slam title in New York in 2021, rising to world No 1 in the following months and claiming the ATP Finals crown in the pandemic-affected 2020 edition of the season-ending tournament.
“Daniil, our fantastic eight-season adventure together comes to an end. Like a symbolic wink of life, it’s after this US Open tournament that we end our collaboration.” Cervara wrote.
“I am grateful and happy for all the great things and wonderful experiences we were able to experience together on the court during these eight years. It will remain etched in my memory forever.”
All 20 of Medvedev’s ATP titles came during Cervara’s tenure, as did the Russian’s remarkable six Grand Slam final appearances.
However, from Medvedev’s six Grand Slam finals, a return of just one major paints a different picture of painful missed opportunities.
Despite the undeniable and considerable success this pair have enjoyed, an inability to add to such a promising peak across late 2021 and early 2022 has turned into a gradual but continual slump for the Russian in the past few seasons.
In a year that has seen Medvedev win just one Grand Slam match, falling in three consecutive first-round majors, his latest meltdown in New York felt like a significant nadir – one that, ultimately, signalled the end of Cervara’s era.
