Match Report
Medvedev wins Brisbane crown for perfect start to 2026
Former World No. 1 overcomes Nakashima in straight sets to win his 22nd tour-level title
January 11, 2026
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Daniil Medvedev has won 22 tour-level titles at 22 different events.
By Sam Jacot
Daniil Medvedev made a statement start to the new season on Sunday at the Brisbane International presented by ANZ, where he defeated Brandon Nakashima 6-2, 7-6(1) to win the title at the ATP 250 event.
The 29-year-old fell just short in the Brisbane final in 2019, but ensured there would be no repeat heartbreak on Australia’s east coast, where he secured his 22nd tour-level crown with an impressive display against Nakashima. The victory also preserved a rare distinction in Medvedev’s career, with all 22 of his titles coming at different events.
The championship match showcased punishing baseline exchanges, with Medvedev forced to dig deep late in the second set. After letting slip two championship points on serve at 5-4, the former World No. 1 quickly regrouped, dominating the tie-break to seal victory after one hour and 34 minutes.
“I want to dedicate this to my family,” Medvedev said during the trophy ceremony. “They couldn’t make it to Australia, it is a bit too far guys, about 23 hours from where I live and with two young kids it is not easy. I decided to play this tournament and we thought we would be coming all together but we stuck to the decision and my daughter had a birthday when I was here, so I dedicate it to her first birthday. This [trophy] is a bit too heavy for her though.”
Medvedev’s Brisbane triumph continues an upward trajectory that began in October, when he snapped a two-and-a-half-year title drought in Almaty, working alongside new coaches Thomas Johansson and Rohan Goetzke. He carried that momentum into the opening week of the new season, becoming the first top seed to lift the Brisbane trophy since Roger Federer in 2015.
Nakashima was chasing his second tour-level trophy, having won on home soil in San Diego in 2022. The former Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF champion leaves Brisbane at No. 31 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.
Nakashima did not drop a set en route to his fourth tour-level final but was unable to outmanoeuvre Medvedev, who now leads the American 3-0 in the pair’s Lexus ATP Head2Head series.
Did You Know?
Medvedev is the third active player to win 20 tour-level hard-court trophies, joining Novak Djokovic (72) and Jannik Sinner (21).
