ATP Tour

Shapovalov reveals Federer encounter, rookie lessons & more in Locker Room Code

Welcome to Locker Room Code, where ATP Tour players share the stories behind life on Tour. From unwritten rules and rookie mistakes to friendships and unforgettable moments, this series goes beyond the baseline. First up is Denis Shapovalov, who opens up about his first meeting with Roger Federer.

Some of Denis Shapovalov’s biggest lessons of life on the ATP Tour have not come from match points or trophies, but from the people encountered along the way.

One of those moments came courtesy of Roger Federer in 2017. At the time, Federer was already an established icon of the sport, while Shapovalov was a teenager taking his first steps into the world he had spent his childhood chasing. The difference in their places on Tour could hardly have been greater, which made Federer’s gesture all the more memorable.

“Roger was a really big player who welcomed me,” Shapovalov told ATPTour.com. “I remember going to Basel the first year to play there, and I was walking into the tournament actually, and there was a car pulling out… Roger basically stops the car, gets out and starts chatting to me and welcoming me to his city.”

At a stage when Shapovalov was still learning the rhythms of life on Tour, a brief encounter offered an early glimpse into the culture he was becoming part of. It was one where the sport’s biggest names could still make time for those just starting out.

Shapovalov had not yet faced Federer on court, and if he had defeated Adrian Mannarino in the second round of that Basel event, he would have earned the opportunity to do so for the first time. However, the encounter with the local legend before the tournament itself became the memory that stayed with him.

“Anytime I’m talking to Roger, it’s awesome. But at the time, when I was just coming onto the scene, the guy steps out of the car,” Shapovalov explained. “He told me he was on the way to have dinner with his parents. There are obviously not many weeks that he gets to be home, so for him to get out of the car and chat to me for 10, 15 minutes, it meant a lot for me.

“We spoke a few times before that because I had warmed him up for the Australian Open. We had another interaction when I had the run in Montreal as well in 2017. We’d spoken a few times, so I knew him a little bit, but it was just a moment I think I'll always remember.”

Although Shapovalov was still only 18, he was no longer simply another young player trying to break through. The Canadian’s run to the Montreal semi-finals, during which he stunned World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, had put him on the radar, turning heads across the Tour and changing the way opponents viewed the teenager.

Federer was perhaps one of the players who understood the potential of the young Canadian early in his career, and their relationship later came full circle when they shared the court in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting in Miami in 2019. But beyond the results and memorable moments, what Shapovalov remembers most is the way Federer helped create an environment where younger players could feel comfortable.

Watch Federer & Shapovalov's first meeting in Miami in 2019

Years later, that same respect remains central to how Shapovalov views his place in the locker room. The teenager who once arrived hoping to earn acceptance from established names is now the player younger generations are looking towards. Was Shapovalov, with his flashy left-handed game and eye-catching one-handed backhand, ever guilty of arriving on Tour with too much confidence?

“No, definitely not,” Shapovalov responds “Coming from a pretty strict upbringing, I was always taught to be very respectful. I think very early on, when I was practising with anyone, it was like, ‘Whatever you guys want to do. I'm just happy to be on court. I'm happy to chase balls if I need to’. So, I grew up with that mentality.

“I always try to be respectful with everyone. I also enjoy hitting with young guys now, and when I see that politeness or that nice upbringing as well, it's nice to see. [Rafael] Jodar, for example, is someone that comes to mind as super respectful. Him and his father are very great people. We got to hit in Rome, and we obviously played in Dallas this year. He just strikes me as a really, really good guy.”

Away from the pressure of practice sessions and match days, the locker room is where many of the personal connections in tennis are built. Shapovalov prefers to keep things low key during tournaments, spending most of his time with his team while still making room for the familiar faces who have been part of his journey, including longtime friend Felix Auger-Aliassime, with whom he helped Canada win its first Davis Cup title in 2022.

“I'll mainly chill with the Canadians, but I try to be in and out of the events and not stick around too long,” Shapovalov said. “I’ll also mainly be with my team, my guys. But of course, if I see [Gabriel] Diallo or if I see Felix [Auger-Aliassime], or any of the Canadian guys, we will sit together and have a chat, which is always fun.

“Me and Felix have known each other since we were five years old, so it's pretty fun to just catch up on things and chat. And we obviously do dinners and stuff like that outside the events.”

_{^{Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov at the ATP Cup in 2022. Photo: MUHAMMAD FAROOQ/AFP via Getty Images.}}

Those friendships, the casual conversations and the small gestures shared between generations are part of a side of the ATP Tour that often goes unseen. Years later, Shapovalov still remembers the time that Federer took the time to stop and talk, serving as a reminder that some of the most meaningful impacts in tennis happen away from the spotlight.

Locker Room Code is ATPTour.com's new behind-the-scenes series, uncovering the stories, traditions and unwritten rules that shape life on the ATP Tour. Check back on 18 August for the next instalment, as another ATP star opens up.