Shapovalov Reflects On Early Struggles: 'Sleeping In Apartment With Nothing Just Mattresses'
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Denis Shapovalov might be a millionaire now, but his beginnings were not easy, especially after his parents moved to Canada.
Shapovalov and his parents moved quite a lot a few decades ago. His mom was born in Ukraine but then moved to Israel, where Shapovalov was born in Tel Aviv.
Before his first birthday, the family moved to Canada, where Shapovalov grew up. That's also why he represents Canada on the ATP Tour at the moment.
Although moving a lot might seem appealing to some, it was very challenging for the family. When they moved to Canada, they didn't have a lot of money, which made it challenging.
The 25-year-old Canadian talked about his family's beginnings during a recent episode of The Slice Tennis podcast. He remembered the time when his parents moved from Israel to Canada and how challenging it was for them.
"We're in such a fast-paced life so we don't look back towards them. But when we do, it's definitely a special feeling. My parents came from Israel, they grew up in Ukraine, when I was breaking down, they moved to Israel, moved to Canada and they basically came with no money."
Shapovalov remembered that at the time since they didn't have plenty of money, the family just used to sleep in an empty apartment with only a mattress on the floor.
It was a challenging time for Shapovalov's parents, who didn't speak English, which made it even more challenging for them to find a job in Canada and start earning enough money.
His mom was a tennis coach, which is how he started playing tennis, but she also struggled to find a good position.
"We were sleeping in an apartment with nothing just mattresses for months. My parents trying to find jobs. My mom was trying to apply for different coaching positions. Didn't speak a word of English, so it was a big struggle for them to get on their feet, and they moved like they didn't have friends, didn't have anything there."
Eventually, it worked out, and thanks to his parents' sacrifices, Shapovalov was able to become a successful tennis player. Up to this point, he earned $12,228,553 in prize money on the ATP Tour and millions in endorsements.
Still, he remembers the beginnings and how difficult it was for his parents, which makes the success now even more sweeter.
In 2025, Shapovalov will want to further prove his qualities on the tennis court. However, he didn't start the season well, as he lost in the opening round of the Hong Kong Open to Kei Nishikori.
After that, Shapovalov revealed that he played through an illness, and he will want to recover in time for his next tournament, which is the Adelaide International. After that, the Canadian will compete at the Australian Open.
