Daniil Medvedev Dominates Alex Michelsen, Secures Another Chance for Glory at Brisbane Final | ATP Tour | Tennis
Brisbane
The former World No. 1 sets the stage for a championship showdown against Nakashima
January 10, 2026
TENNIS AUSTRALIA
By Jerome Coombe
In an impressive display of skill and determination, Daniil Medvedev has advanced to his 41st tour-level final. This significant achievement comes as he prepares for another opportunity to capture victory at the Brisbane International presented by ANZ this coming Sunday.
As the top seed and the runner-up from 2019, Medvedev secured a hard-fought 6-4, 6-2 triumph over American player Alex Michelsen on Saturday. Despite struggling with an uncharacteristic 27 unforced errors during the match, Medvedev showcased his resilience by effectively saving all four break points he encountered in the second set. According to Infosys ATP Stats, this win allows him to surpass Alexander Zverev, placing him second among active players for the most finals reached, just behind Novak Djokovic, who leads with an impressive 144 finals.
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"It was not easy at all. The score doesn't completely reflect the match," said Medvedev, who once held the top position in the PIF ATP Rankings. "However, I’m pleased that I managed to perform better than Alex during the crucial moments. That’s essential for securing a win."
Medvedev ended the 2025 season on a positive note, having reached consecutive semi-finals in both Beijing and Shanghai. He also broke a challenging 15-month title drought by winning in Almaty, setting a strong foundation for a promising start to 2026. Looking ahead to Sunday’s final, he holds a 2-0 lead in their Lexus ATP Head2Head series against fellow American Brandon Nakashima.
Earlier in the day, Nakashima triumphed over his close friend Aleksandar Kovacevic, winning 7-6(4), 6-4, which propelled him into his fourth ATP Tour final. This marks Nakashima’s first final appearance since he clinched his debut title in San Diego back in 2022. Notably, throughout this week in Brisbane, Nakashima has navigated through four matches without dropping a single set.
"Aleks and I are really good friends; we've practiced together quite a bit over the last month, so it’s fantastic to see him performing well in these tournaments," Nakashima shared about his compatriot. "For me, I’m thrilled with my performance today and am looking forward to continuing my journey here in Brisbane."
