ALMATY, Kazakhstan — Daniil Medvedev defended his Almaty Open title on Sunday, October 25, 2026, beating Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-3 in the final, while Lorenzo Musetti ended a four-year title drought by winning in Lyon and Tallon Griekspoor triumphed in Brussels, in a weekend that sharpened the race for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.
Medvedev, the world number five and top seed in Kazakhstan, collected his fourth tour-level trophy of 2026 and the 25th of his career. It was the first successful title defence of the former US Open champion's career, and it strengthened his bid to qualify early for the eight-man finale in Turin from November 15 to 22.
Illustration: A tennis player celebrates a hard-court title win under indoor arena lights.
What Happened
Medvedev stumbled at the first hurdle in Almaty. Basilashvili, ranked 128th in the world and playing his first tour final since 2022, saved two set points and took the opening set in a tiebreak after Medvedev netted attempted winners at key moments. According to Reuters, the Georgian clinched the set with a powerful cross-court backhand.
The match turned decisively in the second set. Medvedev regained control by forcing backhand rallies and pressing an error-prone Basilashvili into shooting wide, levelling the match 6-1. In the decider, Basilashvili's nerves showed: he netted a backhand drop shot to hand Medvedev his first match point, then shot wide from the baseline to lose the match.
The numbers told the story of Medvedev's dominance once he settled. He smashed 22 aces to Basilashvili's three, and committed half as many unforced errors — 20 to his opponent's 40. Basilashvili saved six of ten break points he faced but could not break Medvedev's serve in two attempts.
"I always said, it's just a matter of luck, time, moment," Medvedev said after the match, according to Reuters. "I was feeling fresh, I was feeling physically good... I'm happy to finally do it I guess," the 30-year-old added with a smile.
Elsewhere on Sunday, sixth seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy beat second seed Taylor Fritz of the United States 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes in Lyon, France. Musetti captured his first ATP title in four years and only the third of his career, playing a far cleaner match than his opponent — he never faced a break point and finished with 11 unforced errors to Fritz's 28. Fritz had been aiming for his 12th career ATP crown.
In Brussels, Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor rallied from a dropped first set to defeat Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and win the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open, his fourth career ATP title.
Background
Medvedev's path to the Almaty final had opened up on Saturday when third seed Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan retired with a knee injury after losing the opening set 6-3 in their semifinal. The Russian had arrived in Kazakhstan as defending champion and overwhelming favourite, and the title extends a strong season in which he has now won four tournaments.
Musetti's breakthrough in Lyon was long awaited. The Italian reached the quarterfinals at the most recent Australian Open and lost the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters final, an ATP 1000 event, but had not lifted a trophy since 2022. His semifinal win over countryman and top seed Flavio Cobolli was dramatic: he saved four match points in the final set before prevailing 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.
Fritz, meanwhile, had reached the Lyon final by overwhelming fellow American Tommy Paul 6-3, 7-5 in Saturday's semifinal, drilling 15 aces and saving all nine break points he faced. Musetti holds a 4-3 head-to-head edge over Fritz and has now won four of their past five meetings.
In Brussels, Struff had reached the final by outlasting top seed Arthur Fils of France in a deciding tiebreak, while Griekspoor rallied past Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo. Griekspoor had won all three previous meetings against Struff and extended that record on Sunday.
Illustration: A tennis player slides on clay in celebration as the crowd watches.
Why It Matters
Sunday's results matter well beyond three trophies. The ATP Finals race is entering its decisive phase, and Medvedev's Almaty defence was, in Reuters' words, a boost to his hopes of securing his place early in the Turin field. Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Ben Shelton have already qualified for the eight-man finale, while the injured Jannik Sinner will not feature — leaving the remaining places fiercely contested in the season's final weeks.
For Musetti, the Lyon title is a statement of intent. A player long regarded as one of the tour's most gifted shot-makers, he had collected finals and deep runs without converting them into silverware. Winning a title in such commanding fashion — without facing a break point in the final — suggests a player ready to contend at the sport's biggest events rather than merely decorate them.
Griekspoor's Brussels triumph reinforces the depth of the men's game. A fourth career title for a player outside the sport's established elite underlines how competitive the tour's second tier of events has become, and how many players now arrive at the season's climax in form.
The weekend also showcased tennis's global footprint: three finals in three countries on the same Sunday, from Central Asia to Western Europe, each with its own storyline and each feeding into the same season-ending race.
What Happens Next
Medvedev heads next to the Vienna Open, which starts on Monday, October 26, and then to the Paris Masters from October 31, as he looks to lock down his place in Turin. Every match in the coming fortnight carries ranking points that could decide the final qualification spots.
Musetti and Fritz will also be in action in the closing weeks of the season, with the Paris Masters the last major opportunity to reshape the Turin field before the finale begins on November 15.
Elsewhere, the women's game continues its own run-in: Elena Rybakina retained her Ningbo Open title on Sunday, beating Leylah Fernandez 6-2, 6-2 to lift her first trophy as world number one ahead of the WTA Finals in Indian Wells from November 8.
Illustration: A gleaming tennis trophy on a podium with spotlights, evoking the season finale.
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FAQ
Who won the 2026 Almaty Open?
Daniil Medvedev of Russia defended his title, beating Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-3 in the final on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
How many ATP titles has Medvedev won?
The Almaty triumph was Medvedev's fourth tour-level title of 2026 and the 25th of his career, including his 2021 US Open victory and his 2020 ATP Finals win.
Who won the Lyon and Brussels titles?
Lorenzo Musetti beat Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4 to win in Lyon, his first title in four years, while Tallon Griekspoor beat Jan-Lennard Struff 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win in Brussels.
When and where are the ATP Finals?
The eight-man season finale takes place in Turin, Italy, from November 15 to 22, 2026. Zverev, Alcaraz and Shelton have already qualified; the injured Jannik Sinner will not play.
What is next for Medvedev?
Medvedev plays the Vienna Open starting Monday, October 26, followed by the Paris Masters from October 31, as he seeks to secure his Turin qualification.
Sources
- Reuters, "Medvedev defends Almaty Open title to close in on ATP Finals," October 25, 2026.
- Reuters, "ATP roundup: Daniil Medvedev bags title No. 25 in Almaty," October 25, 2026.
- Reuters, "ATP roundup: Taylor Fritz to face Lorenzo Musetti in Lyon title match," October 25, 2026.
- Reuters, "Rybakina brushes aside Fernandez to retain Ningbo crown," October 25, 2026.
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