'I know that when I play this way…': Confident Denis Shapovalov returns home ready to shine in Canadian Open

Denis Shapovalov arrives refreshed and brimming with confidence at the Canadian Open, where he will be the 22nd seed. He's enjoying a strong present, having just won his fourth professional title last weekend by defeating Aleksandar Kovacevic in the Los Cabos Open final.

At 26 years old, Shapovalov continues his quest to return to his peak form, which once saw him as one of the standout young players several years ago. In 2017, at just 18, he reached his first Masters 1000 semifinal – after receiving a wildcard from the organizers – defeating rivals like Juan Martin Del Potro and Rafael Nadal along the way.

He secured his first title in Stockholm in 2019, at age 20, and it seemed Shapovalov was destined for great things on the tour. He also reached the Paris Masters final in 2019 and had several deep runs in Grand Slams – the most notable being Wimbledon 2021, where he fell to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

However, Shapo's ascent was hampered by injuries and a lack of consistency. A sharp drop in the rankings saw him outside the top 100 for almost a year; in fact, around this time in 2024, he was barely world No. 139.

Shapo's resurgence: From outside top 100 to seeded at Canadian Open

The path back up the rankings at 26 years old hasn't been easy for the talented one-handed backhand player, but he has steadily advanced, achieving consistency. This year, he has three victories against top-10 players (something he hadn't achieved since 2022) and has returned to the top 30, allowing him to enter the Canadian Open as a seeded player this week, as he will at the upcoming Cincinnati Open and US Open.

Shapo took advantage of the first week of the hardcourt swing to travel to Mexico and compete in the Los Cabos Open. The third seed had a remarkable tournament, not dropping a single set, and ended up claiming the title – a significant boost of confidence. "I am happy with how I played every match," the Canadian commented. "After Wimbledon, I had a great discussion with my team, trying to get back on the court, analyzing what went wrong before starting this hard court swing, but also studying what happened in Dallas and Miami, or what went wrong during the clay and grass seasons."

"The goal in Los Cabos was to prepare better for these upcoming tournaments, bringing out my game and playing freely, aggressively, no matter the score or the opponent. I am glad to have achieved it; I know that when I play this way, things can go both ways, but it is also what allows me to have weeks like this."

The Canadian arrives in good form, rekindling hopes among local fans of seeing one of their own reach the final rounds. Shapovalov, at least, was pleased to return to his home country. "The most important thing for me is to see my family and have my friends close when I am here. Just spending time with them is essential; that is the main thing, which helps me go back to my childhood and, at the same time, keeps me away from tennis and helps me feel like a regular guy."

"Normally, I can't spend much time with them; everyone has their families, they can't travel as much because they have their own lives, so it is important to make time for them these weeks."

The 22nd seed received a first-round bye and is awaiting their second-round opponent. Their potential rival is 19-year-old Learner Tien – a player with four wins against top-10 tennis players this season, making him one of the toughest unseeded players. However, the American must first overcome a qualifier, to be determined this Sunday.