Racquets and Relationships
Shapovalov on wife’s support on & off court: ‘It’s very special that I have her’
Shapovalov reflects on importance of his life partner in new series ‘Racquets & Relationships’
March 08, 2026
Karin Lundin @karinlundinstudio
Mirjam Shapovalova (formerly Bjorklund) and Denis Shapovalov were married on 9 September 2025.
By Andrew Eichenholz
Denis Shapovalov will take on World No. 2 Jannik Sinner Sunday in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. They have split their two previous Lexus ATP Head2Head meetings and the Canadian will come out swinging after surviving a thrilling final-set tie-break in the second round against Tomas Martin Etcheverry.
Everyone will be focused on Shapovalov’s high-flying game and attempts to disrupt the second seed, who is pursuing his first Indian Wells title. No matter what happens at Indian Wells or in the weeks to come, Shapovalov’s wife and rock, Mirjam Shapovalova (formerly Bjorklund), will be there to support him.
“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 are not even tennis-related,” Shapovalov said. “To have someone who can just pick you up and help you out during the tough times, it’s super important for anyone to have.”
It has not always been easy in recent years for Shapovalov, the former major semi-finalist who climbed as high as No. 10 in the PIF ATP Rankings. Now World No. 39, the lefty has showed grit and determination to try to rediscover his best level, and Shapovalova has been by his side every step of the way.
“I think she’s the person that I talk to the most about everything, especially about the tough things,” 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 she’s one of the only people who helps me out and goes through everything with me.”
It helps that Shapovalova was an accomplished tennis player herself. The Swede reached a career-high No. 123 in the PIF WTA Rankings and earned her way into three major main draws across 2022 and 2023. They do not shy away from tennis conversations.
“She helps me out a lot. She was a very smart player. She sees the game really well, and she knows me really well,” Shapovalov said. “So we definitely talk a bunch about my game, what I should be doing, little adjustments I could be making, and she’s even been helping me out on court a little bit since the Australian Open. She definitely has a big impact on it.”
Denis Shapovalov and Mirjam Bjorklund marry at Lesante Cape in Zakynthos, Greece.” style=”width:100%;” src=”https://www.atptour.com/-/media/images/news/2025/09/19/21/20/shapovalov-wedding-photos.jpg?w=100%25″>
Photos: Karin Lundin @karinlundinstudio
Shapovalova is not only there to support her husband, but to help push him when needed on the court. According to the Canadian, “she’s pretty tough”.
“I wouldn’t say she has high demands, but she definitely wants a lot out of practice and stuff like that. She wants me to try things, and it’s good,” Shapovalov said. “Not a lot of people are demanding, so I kind of enjoy that. And I feel like we can really dissect things and break things down. It helps a lot to have someone who is really detail-oriented.”
Shapovalova brought her playing career to an end last year due to injury struggles. It has been important to Shapovalov that their relationship does not feature one-way support, but that he is always there for his wife, too. That was true even when Shapovalova was playing, with her now-husband consistently being courtside for her matches whenever possible.
“I always wanted to be there for her. You can see how much she’s there for me, especially now that she has stopped playing,” Shapovalov said. “I think a lot of her life kind of 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 living the same life as me. I think we both do a good job of, I don’t want to say sacrificing, but making an effort for each other.”
Denis and Mirjam began dating in 2019 and six months ago they were married. Win or lose on the court, they have been there for one another and grown together.
“I definitely think it’s very special that I have her,” Shapovalov said. “I think we do a good job of talking a lot and talking in a good way that helps us grow as people. I know I’m not perfect, and she definitely helps me want to be better and just work on myself every day.”
Racquets & Relationships is a new series on ATPTour.com in which ATP Tour players discuss their life partner, their impact on and off the court, and more.