Daniil Medvedev defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-2 7-6(1) to win the Brisbane Open title on Sunday to start the 2026 season on a winning note ahead of the Australian Open.
He started the match on a strong note with punishing baseline exchanges.
However, he made a double fault and then dropped another serve into the net at set point to open the door for his opponent.
The victory marked Medvedev’s 22nd ATP title at 22 different events, and his first since he ended an 882-day wait for a title with a win over Corentin Moutet in the Almaty Open final in October last year.
Medvedev dedicated the win to his coaching staff and family, having missed his daughter’s first birthday to play in the tournament.
He said: “I want to dedicate this to my family who could not make it to Australia, as it’s too far from my home.
“It’s 23 hours from where I live and with two young kids, it’s not easy. I decided to play in a tournament and I stuck with the decision.
“But my daughter had her birthday when I was here – so I dedicate this to her first birthday. This (trophy) is a bit too heavy for her, though.”
It was Medvedev’s second appearance in Brisbane with the 29-year-old finishing as a runner-up in 2019 while it is also his first title win in a season-opening tournament since winning Sydney in 2018.
Medvedev has been ranked as the world No. 1 in men’s singles by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP).
He has won 22 ATP Tour-level singles titles, including the 2021 US Open and 2020 ATP Finals.
