From world No.250 to a career-high No.10, Denis Shapovalov’s rise has promised so much; now ranked 52, former Wimbledon semi-finalist leans on wife Mirjam as he seeks his best tennis

Denis Shapovalov has long been one of tennis’ greatest “what if” stories. The Canadian had the power and talent to reach the very top, but despite building a respectable career, he has yet to live up to the promise he showed early on. Now the former Wimbledon semi-finalist is ranked 52nd in the world and is still trying to rediscover the level that once took him into the top 10.Shapovalov quickly rose up the rankings after his first mark on the ATP Tour. In 2017, he climbed from 250th to 49th in the world and established himself as a player to watch. One of the highlights of that season came at the Canadian Open, where he reached the semifinals before losing to Novak Djokovic.He broke into the top 30 in 2018 and won his first ATP title at the Sofia Open in 2019, defeating Filip Krajinovic in the final. A month later, he reached the final of the Paris Masters, giving himself the chance to win the biggest title of his career at the time. But Djokovic again proved too strong, beating him in straight sets.Shapovalov continued to make progress. In 2020, he reached his first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the US Open and rose to a career-high 10th in the world rankings. He took another step forward at Wimbledon in 2021, defeating Andy Murray, Roberto Bautista Agut and Karen Khachanov to reach the semi-finals. Djokovic, who went on to win the title, ended there.It was the kind of performance that suggested Shapovalov could become a regular contender at the biggest tournaments. But the expected next step never came. He stayed in the top twenty for a while before his results began to decline.He finished 18th in the world in 2022, but dropped out of the top 100 a year later. He gained some ground and finished 23rd in 2025, only to drop back into the 50s. At 27, Shapovalov is still competing at a high level, but his career hasn’t taken the path many expected. Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime has also emerged as a prominent name in men’s tennis, adding another point of comparison for Shapovalov.However, the results tell only part of the story. Off the court, Shapovalov has found support in his wife, Mirjam Shapovala, formerly Björklund, who understands the demands of professional tennis better than most.The couple started dating in 2019 and married in September 2025. Mirjam, a former Swedish tennis player, reached a career WTA ranking of 123 and played three Grand Slam main draws in 2022 and 2023. She retired from playing last year after struggling with injuries.For Shapovalov, it was important to have someone who understood both the sport and the pressures that come with it, especially as he tries to find his best form again.“It’s super important because we’re tennis players, but we’re also people and we deal with a lot of things in life that don’t even have to do with tennis,” Shapovalov said in an interview with ATP in March 2026. “Having someone who can just pick you up and help you through tough times is a very important thing for anyone to have.”Shapovalov, who reached a career-high No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings, spoke of how much he relies on his wife during tough times. He said he doesn’t often share everything he’s dealing with, so her support is especially valuable.“I think he’s the person I talk to the most about everything, especially the hard stuff,” Shapovalov said. “I feel like I don’t really let too many people know what I’m dealing with at the time. I feel like he’s one of the few people who helps me and walks me through everything.”Their relationship also gives Shapovalov someone to turn to for advice on his game. Having played professionally herself, Mirjam understands the technical and tactical challenges she faces. Both regularly discuss his performances and she has even helped him on the court since the Australian Open.“She helps me a lot. She was a very smart player. She sees the game really well and knows me really well,” Shapovalov said. “So we definitely talk a lot about my game, what I should be doing, little adjustments I could make, and he’s even been helping me out on the court a little bit since the Australian Open. He’s definitely a big influence on that.”But the support was never one-sided. Shapovalov has also been there for Mirjam throughout her playing career, attending her matches whenever possible. With her retirement, he is conscious of ensuring that their relationship remains balanced as their lives change.“I always wanted to be there for her. You can see how much she’s there for me, especially now that she’s gone,” Shapovalov said. “I think a lot of her life revolves around me, so I definitely think it’s important to have an equal relationship and I love supporting her. I thought it was fun to have someone who lives the same life as me. I think we both do a good job, I don’t want to say we sacrifice, but we try for each other.”The end of Mirjama’s playing career changed their circumstances, but their shared experience in professional tennis continues to shape their relationship. He understands the demands of the tour, the uncertainty of results and the work it takes to keep going when things don’t go as planned.It remains a challenge for Shapovalov to find his way back to the level that once made him one of the most promising players of his generation. His career has had its share of highs and lows, but he has someone by his side who knows what the journey entails.