Former world number one Daniil Medvedev has unveiled the surprising technical mastermind behind his impressive return to form, crediting an Australian coach who had been absent from the ATP Tour for two decades.
The coaching duo behind the resurgence
The Russian tennis star, who will turn 30 next month, is currently ranked world number 13 after a barren two-year spell that will see him start the season outside the top 10 for the first time since 2018. However, his dominant performances at the Brisbane International, where he faces American Alex Michelsen in a semi-final on Saturday night, signal a dramatic turnaround.
Medvedev estimates he is already playing at a 'top-five' level again and attributes this revival to his new coaching team. The technical brains of the operation is Australian-born Rohan Goetzke, whose last major tour involvement was guiding an unseeded Richard Krajicek to a shock Wimbledon title in 1996.
Goetzke, who later coached Mario Ancic and spent years with Dutch national squads, has partnered with Sweden's 2002 Australian Open champion, Thomas Johansson. Together, they are tasked with returning the 2021 US Open winner to the summit of the sport.
Scepticism turned to immediate trust
Medvedev admitted to initial doubts about hiring a coach who had been away from the tour for so long. 'I was kind of sceptical in the beginning...he hadn't been on tour for a long time, and usually that's not a good thing,' the three-time Australian Open finalist revealed.
Those fears were quickly allayed by a single phone call. 'He analysed my game and said exactly what I felt was not working anymore,' Medvedev said, impressed by Goetzke's immediate and accurate assessment.
The overhaul focuses on technical adjustments across Medvedev's entire game. 'The volley, on the serve, forehand, backhand,' Medvedev explained, noting Goetzke's detailed guidance on specific shot execution. This intervention comes after a lean period yielding just one title since he clinched five in 2023.
Building momentum for Melbourne
Medvedev's form in Australia has historically been strong. His high-quality victory over Poland's Kamil Majchrzak on Friday improved his record in the country to 46 wins and 11 losses. He has been a finalist in Brisbane before, won his maiden ATP title in Sydney in 2018, and boasts a 28-9 record at Melbourne Park, where he has lost two finals after winning the first two sets.
Now, with a refreshed coaching structure and after missing the year-ending finals, Medvedev feels super-charged. He acknowledged the stress of implementing new techniques in the off-season but concluded, 'I love this.'
Crucially, the Russian has shifted his mindset. Last year, he paid the price for focusing too much on rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who hold a combined 12-1 record against him in their last 13 meetings. 'I never got to play them,' Medvedev lamented of his poor 2023 form.
'This pre-season, I didn't think at all about them,' he stated. 'I was, like, 'Okay, how do I get back to the level I can play to, first of all, beating the other guys?'' With his new team's guidance, Medvedev looks destined for another deep run in Australia, starting in Brisbane and culminating at the Australian Open.
