"You deserve this and more" - Denis Shapovalov congratulates girlfriend Mirjam Bjorklund after Ilkley title win
Denis Shapovalov was over the moon after his girlfriend and Swedish tennis player Mirjam Bjorklund won the biggest title of her career.
Bjorklund clinched the ITF 08A tournament in England, a 100K event, after beating young American talent Emma Navarro in the final, 6-4, 7-5. The Swede now has 10 singles and 2 doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit.
She later took to Instagram to celebrate the triumph. Bjorklund posted a picture with the trophy, highlighting her happiness on racking her "biggest title yet," and thanked her fans and team for their constant support.
"100K Title!! My biggest title yet and i’m super happy to do it on the grass in Ilkley. Thank you to everyone for your amazing support throughout the week, its been so fun!! And my team, you are the best," Bjorklund wrote.
Denis Shapovalov, who has been dating Mirjam Bjorklund since June 2019, congratulated his girlfriend with a wholesome comment on her Instagram post. The Canadian said he was very proud of Bjorklund, and she truly deserved this achievement after years of hard work.
"SO PROUD OF YOU CHAMP!! you work so hard and you deserve this and more to come," Shapovalov wrote.
Shapovalov also posted an Instagram story to applaud Bjorklund.
"Ilkley champion!!! Biggest title of your career. I couldn't be prouder and happier for you!! More to come," he wrote on his Instagram Story.
Mirjam Bjorlund, 24, debuted on the WTA Tour in 2017 at her home tournament, the Swedish Open. The World No. 133 made her first-ever Grand Slam main draw appearance at the 2022 French Open and managed to qualify for the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.
On the 2023 WTA Tour, Bjorklund's last main draw appearance came at the Miami Open, where she, as a qualifier, defeated Jasmine Paolini in the first round before losing to Jelena Ostapenko.
Denis Shapovalov struggles to find form in 2023
Meanwhile, Denis Shapovalov is not enjoying the greatest time on tour after failing to register any significant results in 2023. The talented Canadian, ranked as high as World No. 10, is currently World No. 31, and his only title on the ATP Tour came at the 2019 Stockholm Open.
This year, the 24-year-old has reached only one quarterfinal, at the Adelaide International 1 in January (lost to Novak Djokovic). Since then, Shapovalov has only strung together two wins in a row twice -- at the Australian Open and the French Open.
In the grass swing, the Canadian lost to Marton Fucsovics in the first round of the Stuttgart Open and to Alexander Zverev in the second round of the Halle Open. He would be hoping to turn the tide in his favor sooner rather than later as he prepares for the Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the semifinal in 2021, his best Grand Slam result.