Daniil Medvedev’s coach of eight years is now set to move on with a new ATP player after confirming their partnership.
Medvedev split from Gilles Cervara after losing in the first round of the US Open, which was his fourth consecutive Grand Slam defeat.
Following the split from Cervara, Medvedev began working with Thomas Johansson on a trial period, and has seen improved results since then.
Medvedev recently confirmed his coaching team for 2026, and now Cervara has made a move of his own.
Gilles Cervara set to work with Nishesh Basavareddy next year
In a recent interview, Medvedev hinted that he knew who Cervara would be working with next and was actually planning to train with him in the off-season.
That player is young American Nishesh Basavareddy, who got people talking at the start of the 2025 season.
Basavareddy reached the semifinals of the ASB Classic in just his second ATP Tour event, before he would make his Grand Slam main draw appearance at the Australian Open.
This is where he would face Novak Djokovic, who was full of praise for Basavareddy and called him ‘very talented’ before coming from a set down to beat him.
Basavareddy has struggled for form since the Australian Open, but Cervara appears to be excited about the project going forward.
“I’m thrilled about this project with a healthy player and environment, eager to build something after many months without a structure,” Cervara said about working with Basavareddy, as reported by L’Equipe.
“He’s a young man who isn’t confined to the United States and wants to work with a French coach. It’s a great adventure. There are quite a few things to accomplish in relation to my coaching profile.”
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What happened when Daniil Medvedev played Nishesh Basavareddy?
Not only do they now share something in common with having Cervara as a coach, but Medvedev and Basavareddy’s paths have also crossed on the match court.
This came at the ATP 250 event in Hangzhou, after Medvedev had split from Cervara, and faced Basavareddy in the second round.
Experience showed on this day, as Medvedev beat Basavareddy in straight sets, winning the match 6-2 6-3.
Which tennis player am I thinking of?
This is the only match that they have played to date, but they may become more familiar with one another if they practice with each other as planned.
Although for most players it is now the off-season, Basavareddy still has one more tournament left in 2025 at the Next Gen ATP Finals.
Basavareddy will also have to play qualifying at the Australian Open next year, after falling to world number 167 in the ATP rankings.
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