This was Shapovalov's rescue: "I had become indecisive, I was not going for my shots"

Fernando Murciego | 26 Jul 2025 | 20.00

Denis Shapovalov at the Media Day in Toronto. Source: Getty

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If you are Canadian, it's normal to spend the whole season waiting for this week. In the case of Denis Shapovalov, a man who knows what it's like to shine on his own in the Canadian Masters 1000, the maturity of his 26 years has allowed him to reach the end of July with the trampoline perfectly formed: a title under his belt at the ATP 250 in Los Cabos and the opportunity to fight for the jackpot in Toronto as a seeded player. Before that, he had to suffer, lose himself on the court, and go in search of a new team, challenges that are currently overcome. These were his words at this Saturday's Media Day.

Title in Los Cabos

“I am happy with how I played every match. After Wimbledon, I had a great discussion with my team, trying to get back on the court, analyzing what went wrong before starting this hard court swing, but also studying what happened in Dallas and Miami, or what went wrong during the clay and grass seasons. We reflected a lot on it and saw that I had become very indecisive in the matches, not playing as freely, not going for my shots. The goal in Los Cabos was to prepare better for these upcoming tournaments, bringing out my game and playing freely, aggressively, no matter the score or the opponent. I am glad to have achieved it; I know that when I play this way, things can go both ways, but it is also what allows me to have weeks like this.”

Mikael Tillstrom, his new coach

"I have known Mikael for many years; he helped me for a couple of weeks last season when I was dealing with different coaches, so we had already collaborated. After Halle, I parted ways with Janko and was looking at options, so I talked to Mikael, who had parted ways with Gael, so we thought of trying it for Wimbledon, see how things went. So far, it has been great; it helps a lot to know the person beforehand; whenever I am in Sweden, I train at his Academy, which is great. I think he is a tremendous coach, so I hope we can have a good partnership.”

The best of playing at home

"Obviously, there are many different restaurants I like to go to, but the most important thing for me is to see my family and have my friends close when I am here. Just spending time with them is essential; that is the main thing, which helps me go back to my childhood and, at the same time, keeps me away from tennis and helps me feel like a regular guy. Normally, I can't spend much time with them; everyone has their families, they can't travel as much because they have their own lives, so it is important to make time for them these weeks.”

Solidarity project to help animals

"It's not just about dogs; it's about animals in general. I always grew up among animals at home, had a strong connection with them, so it's important now to give back the love they provide to so many people. They always brought me happiness and joy. It is tragic to see so many animals in shelters, without families, without homes; people do not know how much love they are capable of providing. From a young age, I always tried to be supportive on this issue, so now ShapoShelter is my big project, an additional way to contribute and help, simply by sharing the story of some animals to find them a home; that is the ultimate goal.”

Pospisil’s Retirement

"I would love to watch his match, but there are always a million commitments here that we must fulfill. I have a tight schedule, so I will have to first check the morning schedule, but I would love to go see him play. To me, he will always be one of Canada's first great players; he has left a huge mark. I remember growing up watching him and Milos Raonic playing Davis Cup, playing important matches and some semifinals here. He has done a lot for Canadian tennis but also for guys like Felix (Auger-Aliassime) or me. When I entered the circuit, Vasek was one of the first players to come talk to me, give me advice; he was always super kind. Thanks to all these things, today we have a fantastic relationship; he's a great person. It is very sad to see him go; I think he has a lot more to offer; I hope he can be healthy and get back in shape, but it will always be amazing to look back and see all that he could achieve.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Así fue el rescate de Shapovalov: “Me había vuelto indeciso, no iba a por mis tiros”