History of Denis Shapovalov in Timeline

Denis Shapovalov is a Canadian professional tennis player, reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 10 in singles. He has won four ATP Tour singles titles and reached the semifinals of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. He also achieved a doubles ranking of No. 44. Shapovalov is considered the third highest-ranked Canadian male singles player in history.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1932: Inception of Lionel Conacher Award

In 1932, the Lionel Conacher Award was established, which Shapovalov later won in 2017 as Canada's male athlete of the year.

1989: Youngest Player to Reach US Open Fourth Round

In 1989, Michael Chang was the youngest player to reach the US Open fourth round. Shapovalov matched this record in 2017.

1990: Canadian Men reach ATP Tour Quarter-Finals Together

In 1990, for the first time since then, three Canadian men, including Shapovalov, reached the quarter-finals of an ATP Tour tournament together.

April 15, 1999: Denis Shapovalov Born

On April 15, 1999, Denis Viktorovich Shapovalov was born. He is a Canadian professional tennis player and rapper.

Others born on this day/year

2005: Youngest Top-30 Player Since Richard Gasquet

In 2005, Richard Gasquet was the youngest top-30 player before Shapovalov achieved the same feat in 2018.

2009: Mention of Category Introductions

The information mentions the introduction of new categories in 2009, in relation to Shapovalov being the fourth player with three top-10 wins in an ATP 250 or 500 event since these introductions in 2009.

October 2013: Won First Junior Singles Title

In October 2013, Shapovalov won his first junior singles title at the ITF G5 in Burlington, Ontario.

April 2014: Captured Second Singles Title

In April 2014, Shapovalov captured his second singles title at the ITF G5 in Burlington.

July 2014: Won Singles and Doubles Titles

In July 2014, Shapovalov won the singles and doubles titles at the ITF G4 in San José.

September 2015: US Open Performance and Junior Doubles Title

In September 2015, at the US Open, Shapovalov qualified in singles and made it to the third round. He also won the doubles title with partner Félix Auger-Aliassime.

October 2015: Won Junior Davis Cup Title

In October 2015, Shapovalov, along with fellow Canadians Félix Auger-Aliassime and Benjamin Sigouin, captured the first Junior Davis Cup title for Canada in its history.

November 2015: Won First Professional Doubles Title

In late November 2015, Shapovalov won his first professional doubles title at the ITF Futures in Pensacola.

2015: Won US Open Junior Doubles Title

In 2015, Shapovalov won the US Open junior doubles title with Félix Auger-Aliassime.

January 2016: Reached Doubles Final at ITF Futures

In January 2016, Shapovalov reached the doubles final at the ITF Futures in Sunrise.

March 2016: Reached Challenger Semi-Finals

In March 2016, Shapovalov reached the semi-finals of the Challenger Banque Nationale de Drummondville, defeating Austin Krajicek, his first top 100 player, before losing to Daniel Evans.

April 2016: Won Second and Third Singles Titles

In April 2016, Shapovalov won his second and third singles titles, defeating Tennys Sandgren at the ITF 25K in Memphis and winning the ITF 10K in Orange Park over Miomir Kecmanović. He also won the doubles title in Orange Park.

May 2016: Advanced to French Open Semi-Finals

In May 2016, Shapovalov advanced to the semi-finals in singles and the second round in doubles at the French Open.

July 2016: Captured First G1 Singles Title and Wimbledon Junior Title

In July 2016, Shapovalov captured his first G1 singles title after winning in Roehampton. A week later, he became the third Canadian to win a junior Grand Slam singles title with a victory over Alex de Minaur at the Wimbledon Championships.

July 2016: ATP Main Draw Debut and Rogers Cup Upset

In July 2016, Shapovalov was awarded a wildcard for the tournament in Washington, marking his first ATP main draw appearance, where he was defeated by Lukáš Lacko. He was also awarded a wildcard for the Rogers Cup, where he upset world No. 19 Nick Kyrgios.

2016: Fuorivia Coaches Shapovalov to Wimbledon Title

In 2016, Adriano Fuorivia coached Denis Shapovalov to his Wimbledon boys' singles title.

2016: Won Wimbledon Championships Junior Singles Title

In 2016, Shapovalov won the singles title at the Wimbledon Championships as a junior player.

2016: Sponsorship by BioSteel Sports Nutrition

Since 2016, Denis Shapovalov has been sponsored by BioSteel Sports Nutrition.

February 2017: Davis Cup Disqualification

In February 2017, during a Davis Cup tie against Great Britain, Shapovalov was disqualified for unsportsmanlike behavior after accidentally hitting the chair umpire in the eye with a ball, resulting in Great Britain winning the tie 3–2.

September 11, 2017: Career-High ATP Ranking

On September 11, 2017, Shapovalov reached his then career-high ATP ranking of world No. 51.

2017: Inspiration from G-Eazy

In 2017, Denis Shapovalov credited G-Eazy with inspiring him to develop his interest in writing rap music.

2017: Sponsorship by Yonex and TAG Heuer

In 2017, Denis Shapovalov signed with Yonex for tennis rackets and became a brand ambassador for TAG Heuer.

2017: Broke into Top 100 and Reached Canadian Open Semi-Finals

In 2017, Shapovalov broke into the top 100 for the first time after making the semi-finals of the Canadian Open, becoming the youngest player to reach the semi-final of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament at the age of 18.

2017: 2017 ATP World Tour Semi-Final Breakthrough

In 2017, Shapovalov had his ATP World Tour semi-final breakthrough at the Rogers Cup.

2017: ATP Awards and Lionel Conacher Award

In 2017, Shapovalov was voted as the ATP Most Improved Player and ATP Star of Tomorrow by his peers on the ATP Tour. He was also awarded the Lionel Conacher Award as Canada's male athlete of the year, making him the second tennis player to have won the award since its inception in 1932.

2017: Martin Laurendeau Joins Coaching Team

In early 2017, Martin Laurendeau joined Denis Shapovalov's coaching team to polish his one-handed backhand motion.

2018: First Russian Interview

In 2018, Denis Shapovalov gave his first interview in Russian to Russian Eurosport commentators.

2018: Face of Nike's US Open Collection

In 2018, Denis Shapovalov was the face of Nike's US Open collection, along with Sloane Stephens.

2018: 2018 Season Start

In 2018, Shapovalov began his season at the Brisbane International, where he lost in the first round in both singles and doubles. He also participated in the ASB Classic and the Australian Open.

2018: Second Masters Semi-Final Appearance

In 2018, Shapovalov had a second Masters semi-final appearance at the Madrid Open and ended the year ranked inside the top 30, making him the youngest player in the group.

2018: Rob Steckley Added to Coaching Team

In the fall of 2018, Rob Steckley joined Denis Shapovalov's coaching team, replacing Martin Laurendeau.

2018: North American Summer Hard Court Swing

Shapovalov started the 2018 North American summer hard court swing leading up to the US Open seeded 9th at the Citi Open in Washington, D.C., where he defeated Daniil Medvedev before losing to Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.

April 2019: Coaching Team Changes

In April 2019, Denis Shapovalov ended his association with Rob Steckley as his coach. That same month, he reunited with his junior coach, Adriano Fuorivia, who had coached him to his 2016 Wimbledon boys' singles title.

June 26, 2019: Relationship with Mirjam Björklund

On June 26, 2019, Denis Shapovalov began a relationship with Swedish tennis player Mirjam Björklund.

August 2019: Mikhail Youzhny Joins Coaching Team

In August 2019, Mikhail Youzhny was added to Denis Shapovalov's coaching team as his new "shot selection" coach at the Winston-Salem Open. Youzhny helped Shapovalov develop his backhand slice, among other adjustments.

October 2019: Won First ATP Title at Stockholm Open

On 20 October 2019, Shapovalov won his first ATP title at the Stockholm Open, defeating Filip Krajinović in straight sets.

2019: Rap Debut at Indian Wells Masters

At the 2019 Indian Wells Masters, Denis Shapovalov debuted a sample of a rap he had written, which he later described as "awful", however he was able to gain inspiration from the moment to build on and develop his interests in the genre.

2019: Reached Stuttgart Open Doubles Final

In 2019, Shapovalov and Rohan Bopanna reached their first doubles final at the Stuttgart Open, which brought Shapovalov past Adil Shamasdin to become the No. 1 Canadian doubles player. He also entered the top 50 in doubles for the first time after their quarter-final appearance at the Paris Masters.

2019: First ATP Title and Masters Finals Appearance

In 2019, Shapovalov won his first ATP title at the Stockholm Open and made his first Masters finals appearance at the Paris Masters, ending the year ranked No. 15.

2019: Davis Cup Finals

In the 2019 Davis Cup Finals, Shapovalov and Vasek Pospisil took Canada to its first-ever Davis Cup final in the event's 119-year history.

February 2020: Achieved Doubles Ranking of No. 44

In February 2020, Denis Shapovalov achieved a doubles ranking of No. 44.

June 2020: Representation by IMG

Since June 2020, Denis Shapovalov has been represented by IMG.

August 2020: Release of "Night Train"

In August 2020, Denis Shapovalov, under the name "Shapo," debuted his first rap single, "Night Train." The track honors his life as an athlete.

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September 2020: Achieved Career-High Ranking

In September 2020, Denis Shapovalov reached his career-high singles ranking of world No. 10 by the ATP.

September 2020: Re-entered Top 10 Ranking

In September 2020, after a successful run at Wimbledon, Shapovalov re-entered the top 10 in rankings for the first time since September 2020.

2020: ATP Cup and Australian Open

In 2020, Denis Shapovalov started at the ATP Cup, defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, contributing to Canada's quarter-final placement. He later lost to Novak Djokovic, leading to Canada's elimination. At the Australian Open 2020, Shapovalov faced a first-round exit, losing to Márton Fucsovics.

2020: Reached US Open Quarter-Final

In 2020, Shapovalov reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final in doubles with partner Rohan Bopanna at the US Open.

2020: Maiden Grand Slam Quarter-Final and Masters Semi-Final

In 2020, Shapovalov reached his maiden Grand Slam quarter-final at the US Open and his fourth Masters semi-final at the Italian Open, reaching his career-high ranking of world No. 10.

2020: Taylor Fritz Reached Acapulco Final

In 2020, Taylor Fritz reached the final of Acapulco.

2020: Cincinnati Masters and US Open

In 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic suspension, Shapovalov resumed at the Cincinnati Masters, losing in the second round. At the US Open 2020, he reached his first major quarter-final, becoming the first Canadian man to do so in the Open Era, before losing to Pablo Carreño Busta in a five-set match. He also reached the doubles quarterfinal with Rohan Bopanna.

2020: Music Production During Pandemic

In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Denis Shapovalov began writing and experimenting with lyrics to record and built his own in-home studio to produce his music.

2020: European Indoor Tournaments

In 2020, during the final swing of the year, Shapovalov participated in four indoor tournaments in Europe. His best result was reaching the semi-finals at the St. Petersburg Open. Despite aiming for a spot in the 2020 ATP Finals, early defeats prevented him from qualifying, and he ended the year ranked No. 12.

January 2021: Use of Yonex VCore 95 Racket

Since January 2021, Denis Shapovalov has been using the Yonex VCore 95 racket.

Yonex VCore 95 7th Gen Tennis Racquet (4-3/8)

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December 2021: Jamie Delgado Joins Shapovalov's Team

In December 2021, Jamie Delgado joined Denis Shapovalov's team after five years of working with Andy Murray.

2021: Reached Wimbledon Semifinals

In 2021, Denis Shapovalov achieved his best Grand Slam performance, reaching the semifinals at the Wimbledon Championships.

2021: Aggressive Play Style Philosophy

In 2021, Denis Shapovalov explained in a press conference his philosophy on his aggressive style of play, expressing his discomfort when not playing with an aggressive approach. He said that it is very hard to outplay him when he is feeling good and everything flows.

2021: Two Tour Final Appearances

In 2021, Shapovalov made two more tour final appearances.

2022: Coaching Team Change

In 2022, Denis Shapovalov ended his association with Jamie Delgado after the Italian Open and opted to go with Peter Polansky as a full-time coach.

2022: Wimbledon, US Open and Korea Open

In 2022, Shapovalov lost in the second round at Wimbledon. At the Cincinnati Masters 2022, he lost in the third round to Daniil Medvedev. He also lost in the third round of the US Open 2022 to Andrey Rublev. Shapovalov reached the final of the Korea Open 2022, losing to Yoshihito Nishioka, and the final of the 2022 Erste Bank Open, losing to Daniil Medvedev.

2022: Australian Open Fourth Round

In 2022, Shapovalov reached the fourth round of the Australian Open.

2022: COVID-19 and ATP Cup Title

In 2022, Shapovalov tested positive for COVID-19 after the Mubadala Tennis Championships and withdrew from his first match at the ATP Cup due to fatigue. He partnered with Félix Auger-Aliassime to win the decisive doubles match against Russia in the semi-finals. Shapovalov and Auger-Aliassime then won their singles matches in the final against Spain to secure Canada's maiden ATP Cup title.

2022: Davis Cup Win

In 2022, Shapovalov, along with Félix Auger-Aliassime and Vasek Pospisil, secured Canada's first Davis Cup Finals win, defeating Australia in the final after previous victories over Germany and Italy.

2022: Australian Open Quarter-Final and Other Tournaments

In 2022, at the Australian Open, Shapovalov reached his first quarter-final before losing to Rafael Nadal. He also competed in the Rotterdam Open, Qatar Open, Dubai Tennis Championships, Indian Wells Masters, Miami Open, Madrid Open, Italian Open, and French Open, with varying results.

February 2023: Dallas Open and Delray Beach Open

In February 2023, Shapovalov played at the Dallas Open as a wildcard, losing in the second round. At the Delray Beach Open, he was defeated in the second round by Michael Mmoh.

July 20, 2023: Engagement to Mirjam Björklund

On July 20, 2023, Denis Shapovalov and Mirjam Björklund became engaged.

2023: Grass Court Season and Season Ending Injury

In 2023, Shapovalov began his grass court season at the BOSS Open, losing in the first round. He reached the fourth round of the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, his first Major fourth round since the 2022 Australian Open, but was defeated by Roman Safiullin. Shapovalov withdrew from the Paris Masters and ended his 2023 season early due to injury.

2023: Adelaide International and Australian Open

In 2023, Shapovalov began his season at the Adelaide International 1, reaching the quarter-finals. Seeded 20th at the Australian Open 2023, he reached the third round where he was defeated by Hubert Hurkacz in five sets.

2023: Clay Court Season

In 2023, Shapovalov started his clay-court season at the Barcelona Open, losing in the third round. At the Madrid Open 2023, he was defeated in the second round. At the 2023 French Open, he reached the third round for the first time before losing to Carlos Alcaraz.

2024: Citi DC Open and National Bank Open

In 2024, Shapovalov reached the quarterfinals of the Citi DC Open in Washington as a wildcard, climbing back into the top 110. He also received a wildcard for the 2024 National Bank Open in Montreal.

2024: Belgrade Open Title

In 2024, Shapovalov won his second ATP Tour title at the Belgrade Open, five years after his first, defeating Hamad Medjedovic in the final.

February 2025: Dallas Open Victory and Top 35 Ranking

In February 2025, Denis Shapovalov won the Dallas Open, defeating top seeds Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, and Casper Ruud. This victory marked the biggest title of his career, propelling him back into the top 35 in singles rankings on February 10, 2025.

July 2025: Los Cabos Open Victory and Top 30 Ranking

In July 2025, Denis Shapovalov reached the final of the Los Cabos Open, defeating Adam Walton in the semi-finals. He won the title by defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic, marking his fourth title and second of the season. On July 21, 2025, he returned to the top 30 in singles rankings.

September 9, 2025: Marriage to Mirjam Björklund

On September 9, 2025, Denis Shapovalov married Mirjam Björklund.

2025: Season start and Australian Open loss

In 2025, Denis Shapovalov began the season at the ATP Hong Kong Tennis Open, losing in the first round to Kei Nishikori. At the Adelaide International, he won against Zhang Zhizhen but lost to Marcos Giron. At the Australian Open in 2025, he was defeated by Lorenzo Musetti in the second round.