Tennis, a stage for immense talent, also unexpectedly delivers humor through its players’ vibrant personalities. Like, Novak Djokovic, who masterfully embodies this, playfully imitating rivals like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams, and even breaking into silly celebratory dances mid-match. Denis Shapovalov, too, has his moments. Remember his victory against Marin Cilic at the Indian Wells tournament in March 2019? Fulfilling a promise, he grabbed the mic and delivered an impromptu rap for the delighted crowd, a lighthearted celebration of his win. More recently, Shapovalov shared a laugh following his withdrawal at the BMW Open. Proving that humor finds its way into tennis in the most unforeseen ways.
To catch you up, Diego Dedura-Palomero made tennis history on April 15. He became the first 2008-born player to compete at this level. A lucky loser, he faced Shapovalov, leading 7-6(2), 3-0 when Shapovalov retired due to injury, granting the German his debut ATP main-draw victory. Dedura-Palomero then sparked buzz with an exuberant celebration: a roar, headband toss, court marking, and sprawling out, leaving fans and Shapovalov bemused by the dramatic display after a win via retirement.
A week later, the story took a playful twist. During the Madrid tournament, a social media clip caught Shapovalov poking fun at Dedura-Palomero’s celebration. Amid practice, the Canadian mimicked the cross and fall-back move on the clay, sharing a laugh with his team as the camera panned to the 17-year-old practicing just yards away—a bit of lighthearted payback from the veteran.
Denis Shapovalov imitating the Dedura celebration during practice
JJ Breis on IG https://t.co/A6IC0mbSwQ pic.twitter.com/waOHTj2YbP
— Olly Tennis (@Olly_Tennis_) April 22, 2025
On the other hand, the German did clarify why he celebrated that way. When asked about his now-famous celebration, the teenager explained it was all about gratitude. “I would say I am quite religious. I believe in God and I think He helped me win today,” Dedura-Palomero told the press. “I prayed for five minutes, and then after the match, the gesture was simply gratitude.” While the moment turned into something memorable, for Dedura-Palomero, his Spanish adventure ended early with a tough loss to Daniel Galan on Monday in Madrid.
But it hasn’t been as smooth sailing for Denis either. Before the BMW Open, he withdrew from the UTS Guadalajara event due to a back injury sustained during the Australian Open. In January, he announced his withdrawal from the Davis Cup for Team Canada for the same reason.
And while he’s all laughs now, Denis too has had his moments wrapped up in controversies. Remember his heated argument with the umpire while competing against Rafa at the 2022 Australian Open?
Denis clears the air on his argument with the umpire
Shapovalov took a trip down memory lane in November 2024, reflecting on his most unforgettable moments facing Rafael Nadal. “There have been a lot of good moments, good matches between me and Rafa,” Shapovalov said. “Obviously, some I have won; most I have lost. It’s been fun to go up against him and battle. I think one of the best matches or most entertaining ones we played was at the Australian Open—the five-set quarterfinal. It was definitely a special match for both of us… Yeah, playing him, you know, beating him on clay was also a great memory, a special memory for me, as well, also given that the year before I had two or three match points against him and I lost that match.”
That epic Australian Open quarterfinal in 2022 was unforgettable for more than just the tennis. Shapovalov got into a heated exchange with chair umpire Carlos Bernardes, furious over Nadal’s long breaks and slow play. In the heat of the moment, Shapovalov shouted, “You guys are all corrupt,” sparking a wave of debate and headlines across the tennis world.
Later, he clarified his frustration was with the officiating, not Nadal himself. “I respect everything Rafa has done. He’s an unbelievable player,” Shapovalov explained. “But there have to be some boundaries. It’s frustrating as a player—you feel like you’re not just playing against the opponent, but also the umpires and more”.
Despite the controversy, Shapovalov holds his rare wins over Nadal close to his heart, especially the one on clay. “Beating him on clay was also a great memory,” he said. “Especially since the year before, I had two or three match points against him and still lost. So, to finally pull it off was special.” That victory came at the 2022 Italian Open, a huge achievement against the king of clay.
Now, as the Madrid Open gets underway, Shapovalov sits as the No. 29 seed, set to face either Aleksandar Vukic or Kei Nishikori in the second round after a bye. What do you think—can Shapovalov go far this time? Drop your thoughts in the comments!
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