Daniil Medvedev’s Former Coach Spotted in American Rising Star’s Box After Starting New Stint at Next Gen ATP Finals
Daniil Medvedev’s former coach, Gilles Cervara, was recently spotted in the player box of American rising star Nishesh Basavareddy at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. Notably, the American youngster began working with the veteran French coach only days before the season-ending showcase at King Abdullah Sports City, making Cervara’s presence all the more significant.
Daniil Medvedev’s Former Coach Gilles Cervara Spotted With Nishesh Basavareddy at 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals
Cervara’s influence was instrumental in shaping Medvedev into an elite force on the ATP Tour during their nearly eight-year partnership. While Medvedev’s player box was often understated, Cervara remained a constant presence, frequently rooting for the Russian.
The partnership achieved several major milestones, including a Nitto ATP Finals title in 2020, Medvedev’s maiden Grand Slam victory in 2021, and his rise to world No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings in 2022. Cervara’s impact was formally recognized in 2019, when he was named ATP Coach of the Year. That season marked a turning point, with Medvedev capturing the first two of his six ATP Masters 1000 titles.
Months after parting ways with Medvedev, Cervara has taken on another demanding project, guiding the development of the much younger Basavareddy, who is competing at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah. The American opened his campaign on a positive note, earning a hard-fought 4-2, 4-3(7), 3-4(7), 4-2 victory over Dino Prižmić.
His second group-stage match came against German second seed Alexander Blockx, a contest Basavareddy ultimately lost 3-4(7), 3-4(10), 1-4. Even so, echoing his long-standing role with Medvedev, Cervara was once again a visible presence in Basavareddy’s player box during the match.
This needs getting used to. pic.twitter.com/I2CXGGFVLc
— Del🇪🇺 (@Stroppa_Del) December 18, 2025
Basavareddy recently spoke about adding the French coach to his team, revealing that contact was made shortly after Cervara’s split with Medvedev.
“My team reached out to his team after we heard about his split with Daniil. We just thought it’d be a great fit with all his experience and his mindset. I’m really glad it worked out,” Basavareddy told ATPTour.com in Jeddah.
More: Daniil Medvedev’s Controversial On-Court Antics and Massive Fines Earn Him a Spot on Former American Pro’s ‘Naughty List’
“The game is a huge, huge aspect. Physically, that’s also a big area I can continue to improve in. We’re trying to build the right team around us to improve that side. I’ve also put a lot of work into my serve,” he added.
It would be fair to say the Californian has already gotten a feel for the conditions at King Abdullah Sports City. After splitting his first two round-robin matches, the 20-year-old now faces a must-win showdown against Justin Engel, with a place in the semifinals at stake. All eyes will be on whether Cervara’s guidance can once again tilt the scales in Basavareddy’s favor.
