With the US Open right around the corner, some players are seriously struggling for form.
Whilst the likes of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz will head to New York with genuine title ambitions, others may be fearful of an early exit.
The US Open often throws up surprise results, bad news for the big names arriving at Flushing Meadows low on confidence.
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One former US Open champion will arrive at the year’s final Grand Slam tournament on a horrific run of form.
Sharing her thoughts on his ’emergency’ situation, Rennae Stubbs has suggested the 2021 champion may need to look for a new coach.
Rennae Stubbs says Daniil Medvedev is in an ’emergency’ situation and may need a new coach
During the latest episode of ‘The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast’, the former doubles star gave her verdict on Daniil Medvedev’s poor 2025 campaign.
“It is an emergency,” she said.
“We saw the meltdown in Washington. We saw him walk off the court in Toronto. He just left the court. He was like, ‘You know what, last time I went over after losing a match, I broke several rackets, every water bottle, and the chair. I thought you know what, this time I am just going to leave the court.’
“I think it was a good decision, and then he loses again to Adam Walton, a great kid, but a match he should not lose. Nothing against Adam, but it’s a match that [Daniil] Medvedev should not lose, and he loses in three sets after winning the first. It’s like, what is going on?
“He has lost his confidence. He looks defeated. He looks confused. The guy never made errors; he is not returning as well. He is not serving well, which is costing him a lot as well.”
After losing his opening match at Wimbledon, Medvedev would’ve hoped for a better showing on his favored hard courts, but he hasn’t been able to rediscover the form that saw him win the US Open title four years ago.
Daniil Medvedev’s results post-Wimbledon in 2025
Heading to the US Open, having lost three of his last four matches, Stubbs thinks it might be time for Medvedev to make a change.
“I just wonder how long he is going to do this or if he just feels he has to work his way through it,” she said.
“I don’t know! A sabbatical or a coaching change, and I love his coach [Gilles Cervara]. I love him. And they have been together a long, long time and achieved a lot together, but maybe it’s a Goran Ivanisevic who is floating around.
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“The [Stefanos] Tsitsipas thing didn’t work out, the [Elena] Rybakina thing didn’t work out.
“Maybe it’s a volatile personality who has also worked with some great players. Maybe someone like that could come in and give him a new, fresh look.
“It’s not because his current coach can’t do it, but sometimes you need a new outlook.”
Having worked with Cervara for eight years, it would no doubt be difficult for Medvedev to let him go, especially considering the vast amount of success they achieved together.
Daniil Medvedev’s success with Gilles Cervara
Working with Cervara, Medvedev rose to prominence in 2019, reaching his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open.
Establishing himself as one of the best hard-court players in the world over the next few years, Medvedev won his first major at the 2021 US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the final.
Becoming world number one a year later, Medvedev stood atop the tennis world as he and Cervara continued to pick up big wins on the ATP Tour.
Medvedev won his 20th title at the Italian Open in 2023, his most recent triumph, and arguably his most shocking.
With 20 ATP titles to his name, Medvedev ranks well among the best ‘active’ players in the men’s game.
- 1. Novak Djokovic – 100
- 2. Alexander Zverev -24
- T-3. Marin Cilic – 21
- T-3. Carlos Alcaraz – 21
- T-5. Daniil Medvedev – 20
- T-5. Jannik Sinner – 20
Things have slowed down since, however, as Medvedev has lost his last six finals and now sits outside the world’s top ten.
Having won just one Grand Slam match (Australian Open 1R) in 2025, perhaps it is time for Medvedev to split with Cervara and look for a new coach.
Only time will tell what Medvedev will do, but he’ll certainly be one to look out for when the US Open begins on Sunday, August 24.