Daniil Medvedev was glad to start 2026 on a high alongside his new coach Thomas Johansson, as he teed up a meeting with Frances Tiafoe at the Brisbane
International.
Medvedev beat Marton Fucsovics 6-2 6-3 in his first-round match at the ATP 250 event, where he is the top seed.
The world number 13 last appeared at the Brisbane competition in 2019, when he reached the final, only to lose to Kei Nishikori.
Medvedev made a confident start to the new season, never looking back after breaking Fucsovics' serve at the second attempt and going on to wrap up victory in just 70 minutes.
"I played great, and I am happy with my level," Medvedev said.
"I could have played better on my serve a couple of times, but I played great from the baseline. I am happy with my first match of the year. "
First win of the season for @DaniilMedwed
— ATP Tour (@atptour) January 5, 2026
Medvedev defeats Fucsovics 6-2 6-3 to face Tiafoe in the round of 16.@BrisbaneTennis | #BrisbaneTennis pic.twitter.com/8jYHvZ5dPJ
Medvedev linked up with new coach Johansson late last year, and after something of a trial period, he is excited to see where the partnership can take him.
"Last year, when we started, it was a test period," he said. "We had the end of the season to see if it would work out or not.
"It was working great, not only in terms of results but in terms of our relationship, off the court and on the court. We understand each other, and it was a great preseason. "
Earlier, defending champion Jiri Lehecka defeated fellow Czech player Tomas Machac 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 6-2, while Alex Michelsen overcame James Duckworth to book a meeting with Learner Tien.
Data Debrief: Smooth sailing for Medvedev
Medvedev's head-to-head advantage over Fucsovics now stands at 5-1, after an error-free performance helped ensure comfortable progress to the second round.
The 29-year-old only struck marginally more winners than Fucsovics (13 to nine), but he won 79% of his first-serve points and 43% on second serve, while his opponents' figures were down at 54% and 32%.
