Denis Shapovalov — tennis with roots in the USSR
Denis Shapovalov is a Canadian professional tennis player, born in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 1999; his family moved to Canada before his first birthday. He reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 10 in September 2020 and the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2021. He was part of the Canadian team that won the 2022 Davis Cup.
Tracing the roots — Soviet Ukraine (mother)
His mother, Tessa Shapovalova, was born in Soviet Ukraine and played for the USSR national tennis team; his father, Viktor Shapovalov, is of Russian Orthodox background. The family emigrated from the USSR to Israel and then to Canada, settling in Vaughan, Ontario, where his mother coached him from an early age.
Soviet Ukraine (mother). At the time, this region was one of the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union.
A career defined by ambition
"I want to be the best. That's what my parents taught me — you go all the way or not at all."