After a year-long partnership that produced no silverware, Daniil Medvedev has formally split with Gilles Simon. The Russian, scheduled to start his campaign at the Rotterdam Open, issued the news just before the event. Although the former French tennis player joined Gilles Cervara on the Russian tennis star coaching staff, the 2021 US Open champion struggled to make inroads in 2024 and went out early at the 2025 Australian Open.
With Gilles, we decided to stop working together. Honestly, it was a very good experience, with a lot of good things. But now, Gilles Cervara and I can move forward to work together. With Simon, it didn’t go exactly as we wanted, especially in terms of results. We didn’t win any titles, Grand Slams or anything like that, but I learned a lot of new things about tennis: I’m sure it will help me in the future.
Daniil Medvedev in his pre-tournament press conference (Rotterdam Open)
The former World No.1 lost to 19-year-old qualifier Learner Tien in the second round of the Australian Open, a tournament where he has played three finals previously. This unsatisfactory outcome and a trophy drought since his 2023 Italian Open win led to Simon’s departure. The division signals a major change in Medvedev’s support team as he seeks to restore his winning form, although Cervara remains in his technical staff.
Though there were some promising moments during Daniil Medvedev’s run with Simon, it ultimately fell short of his desired breakthrough performances. His finest accomplishments during their collaboration were a Wimbledon semifinal run, a quarter-final appearance at the US Open, and an Indian Wells 2024 runner-up finish. He remained a top-five player but could not turn these long runs into championship wins.
The Russian also suffered difficult defeats in important events, losing to Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. At the Paris Masters, he left early, keeping his battle going. Ranked 4th at the ATP Finals, Medvedev was optimistic about recapturing the form that made him the champion in 2020. However, he couldn’t move out of the group stages after two massive defeats to Taylor Fritz and Jannik Sinner, respectively.
Daniil Medvedev faced a difficult start to the year, which was the storyline of much of his 2024 season. He barely survived the first round of the Australian Open before being taken down by young American rookie Learner Tien in the second round. The unanticipated loss only brought more attention to his recent difficulties and underlined the requirement for a rethink in his coaching.
Medvedev hopes to recover from his most recent setbacks with Rotterdam looming. With a first-round meeting against former champion Stan Wawrinka, the second seed has encountered a difficult draw in the Netherlands. The Russian will want to make a strong statement and recover his spot among the elite in the sport.
Daniil Medvedev’s breakup with Gilles Simon is pivotal in his career. Although the Frenchman’s knowledge and expertise were invaluable, the separation was unavoidable owing to the absence of titles and recent early departures. Still, under Cervara’s direction, the 28-year-old is considering starting with the Rotterdam Open to change his fate. For more fearless sports coverage, visit Stadium Rant.
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