Main photo credit:Mike Frey-USA TODAY Sports

Daniil Medvedev Parts Ways with Coach Gilles Cervara

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Antonio Sepe | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 8:16 AM ET

After nine years of working together, Daniil Medvedev has decided to split with his coach, Gilles Cervara. The decision came after the US Open, where the Russian star suffered a first-round loss to Benjamin Bonzi in a heated five-set battle. Cervara himself announced the news on Instagram.

Cervara’s Message

“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. I am grateful and happy for all the great things and wonderful experiences we were able to share on the court during these eight years. They will remain etched in my memory forever.

Thank you for placing your trust in me. I gave EVERYTHING, every second, for our shared goals. I loved training you, coaching you, supporting you (even when it was difficult), and finding solutions with you and the team to help you perform. I will always remember your unconventional magic as a player, which is your strength. It will return, I’m sure. I wish you all the success you aspire to as a player in the future, and a happy life as a man. The road continues—work and performance call to each of us, and I wish us both success.

A presto, Daniil.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Gilles Cervara (@gillescervara)

An Inevitable Choice

Saying goodbye to his longtime coach must not have been easy for Medvedev, who has spent nearly a decade working with Cervara and achieved all of his career milestones with him in his corner. When they started their partnership in 2017, Medvedev was far from the player he has since become. With Cervara’s guidance, he rose to World No. 1, won the 2021 US Open, captured the 2020 ATP Finals title, and claimed six Masters 1000 trophies.

However, after a disappointing 2025 season, a change seemed inevitable. This year marked one of Medvedev’s most difficult campaigns in recent memory. Aside from reaching the final in Halle and the semifinal in Indian Wells, he failed to make any deep runs. His last title dates back to 2023, although he reached the Australian Open final and qualified for the ATP Finals in Turin in 2024.

In contrast, this season has seen him struggle both with results and consistency, culminating in a meltdown during his loss to Bonzi. The split with Cervara – who benefited as well from the partnership as he won the ATP Coach of the Year award in 2019 and was among the nominees in 2020 and 2021 – may signal a fresh start for Daniil Medvedev. Perhaps what he needs is a new voice in his team that will help him rediscover his confidence and form.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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