A standout performer on the junior tour – crowned Wimbledon boys’ champion in 2016 and finishing as world No.2 in the category – Denis Shapovalov quickly made his mark on the main tour. In 2017, playing at home in Montreal, he produced a breakthrough moment by defeating Rafael Nadal at the ATP Masters 1000. At just 18, he became the youngest Masters 1000 semi-finalist since the category was created in 1990. Two years later, he continued his rise by reaching the final at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Born in Israel and raised in Canada from the age of nine months, "Shapo" was coached from the age of five by his mother, Tessa, a former professional player. With a striking one‑handed backhand modelled on his idol Roger Federer, a powerful forehand and a left‑handed serve, he thrives on taking control from the baseline. This attacking style has already earned him several titles and lifted him into the world’s Top 10 (a milestone he reached after the 2020 US Open, where he became the first Canadian man ever to reach the quarter-finals).

In 2021, Shapovalov confirmed his potential by advancing to the Wimbledon semi-finals, defeating two‑time champion Andy Murray along the way. A Davis Cup champion in 2022 alongside Vasek Pospisil and Félix Auger‑Aliassime, he has already secured his place in Canadian tennis history. It was also with "FAA", one year his junior, that he lifted the boys’ doubles trophy at the US Open back in 2015.