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Denis Shapovalov shared an adorable moment with his girlfriend and Swedish tennis player Mirjam Bjorklund during his practice session ahead of the French Open.
While 26th-seed Shapovalov gained direct entry to the main draw, his girlfriend Bjorklund was denied a place in the main draw. She lost to Clara Tauson in the qualifiers after registering wins over Tamara Korpatsch and Polona Hercog.
Despite the upset, Bjorklund took time to partner Shapovalov for his final on-court preparations ahead of the Roland Garros.
Taking to social media on Saturday, May 27, Shapovalov shared a picture of the couple engaging in a casual conversation on the court.
"Always with you @mirjambjorklund," he wrote on his Instagram stories.
Shapovalov and Bjorklund started dating in June 2019. The pair is often seen cheering for each other during their respective matches, with the Canadian even coaching his girlfriend on the sidelines from time to time.
Shapovalov will commence his 2023 French Open campaign with a first-round encounter against Brandon Nakashima on Monday, May 29. This will be the duo's second meeting on the tour.
Nakashima leads 1-0 in the head-to-head, winning their previous encounter at the 2022 Wimbledon.
Mirjam Bjorklund finds it "super nice" to have Denis Shapovalov support her during matches
Denis Shapovalov's girlfriend Mirjam Bjorklund recently stated that it is "super nice" to have her boyfriend cheering on from the sidelines during her matches.
Ahead of her second-round encounter against Jelena Ostapenko at the 2023 Miami Open in March, Bjorklund stated that Shapovalov is her major support system, adding that the Canadian even coaches her during matches.
"Denis [Shapovalov] can’t be around all the time when I’m playing events, so it’s super nice to have him support me in the box and I think he has a great eye for my game and for tennis in general, so I really trust him when he tells me things and when he coaches me," Mirjam Bjorklund said in an interview with the ATP Tour.
However, Bjorklund was quick to mention that Shapovalov is not her official coach and that he just comes up with bits of advice during crucial moments.
"But he’s very keen on the fact that he’s not my coach. He’s just my boyfriend and supporting [me] in those moments, but I do really appreciate that and I know that I can trust what he’s saying, so it’s very reassuring when I have him there," she added.
Mirjam Bjorklund is ranked No. 160 on the WTA Tour. She is currently 9-11 for the season.
