Trust the process: Shapovalov staying on 'own path' back to the top

Denis Shapovalov has experienced a lot early in his career.

As a teenager, the Canadian upset Rafael Nadal at his home tournament en route to becoming the youngest player ever to reach the final four of an ATP Masters 1000 event.

He then cracked the ATP's top 10 within three years of turning pro and made the second week at three of the four Grand Slams, including a run to the Wimbledon semifinals in 2021.

But things took a downturn two years ago when a knee injury sidelined him for six months. The 25-year-old finished the 2023 campaign at 13-13 and dropped to 140 in the rankings last July.

Shapovalov suddenly needed to go through qualifying at a few tournaments just to earn himself a spot in the main draw. He also competed on the lower-level Challenger circuit for the first time in seven years to gain extra match play and ranking points.

But Shapovalov started to turn the corner in the second half of the 2024 season, reaching a pair of ATP 500 quarterfinals in Washington and Basel. His hard work culminated in a second career tour-level crown at the Serbia Open last November.

"When I first started up, I shot through the rankings so quick. I didn't play too many qualifiers. ... It was definitely kind of a new experience but at the same time humbling," Shapovalov told theScore during a recent virtual media availability with reporters. "But I knew coming back from an injury, I only have a certain amount of protected rankings. So I'm gonna have to play qualifying certain weeks.

"I was very lucky with the amount of wildcards I was able to get. It was funny that with all the wildcards that I got, the title that I ended up winning last year was the one I came through qualifying."

Shapovalov's season-ending triumph in Belgrade catapulted him back into the ATP's top 60 and ended a five-year trophy drought. He dropped just one set over seven matches and showcased the aggressive shot-making that initially launched his rapid ascent.

Shapovalov says his most recent championship "meant a lot more" than his maiden title in Stockholm because of all the ups and downs he's encountered during his comeback journey.

"There were a lot of tough days and a lot of moments where I doubted that I'll ever be able to return to the court pain-free. ... It wasn't just emotional for me, but also for my team," Shapovalov told theScore. "I really do feel like that title wasn't just won by me, but my entire team. They really put in an insane amount of work to get me back on my feet and back on court."

Shapovalov has a new voice in his corner as he looks to carry momentum into 2025. The hard-hitting lefty brought in former World No. 8 Janko Tipsarevic to help take his game to another level.

The two had a one-week trial run last October in Basel and began working together two months later in Dubai.

Shapovalov and Tipsarevic share the same philosophy of embracing an aggressive style of play, and the latter's experience on tennis' biggest stages played a significant role in the hiring.

Tipsarevic was a junior Grand Slam champion like Shapovalov, winning the 2001 Australian boys' singles title. The Serbian made two US Open quarterfinals, a pair of year-end ATP Finals appearances, and helped his country win the Davis Cup during a lengthy 17-year run on the men's circuit.

Tipsarevic knows what it takes to beat the sport's best as well. He defeated fellow countryman Novak Djokovic on a pair of occasions and prevailed over Andy Murray three times.

"I was looking for a coach ... with experience," Shapovalov told theScore. "Someone that was a top-10 player that can understand exactly what I'm going through both mentally and physically, but also tactically on the court."

Shapovalov added: "We get along really well. But we also think the same way. I think he's got a good vision for my game and I genuinely think he cares a lot, too, which is not so easy to find as well."

Shapovalov hasn't been shy about his desire to return to the top 10. The three-time major quarterfinalist doesn't know when that time will come, but his self-belief hasn't wavered five years after peaking at No. 10 in the world.

His quest resumes Monday when he'll take on Miomir Kecmanovic in the opening round of the Dallas Open.

Men's tennis has experienced a changing of the guard over the past couple of years. Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner - two members of Shapovalov's age cohort - have emerged as Grand Slam champions and captured the last five major trophies.

Shapovalov hopes to have his own breakthrough, too, but he isn't getting caught up in the success of his younger peers.

"I think everyone has their own journey," Shapovalov said. "I shot up when I was really, really young, really quickly ... So I'm trying to stay on my own path, not focus on other players too much. Just take whatever intel I can from them and watch their matches and see what they're doing well.

"But I try to just stay in my own lane ... (My team) believes in me a lot. And we just need to keep going and keep working in the right way."