A fractured rib and shoulder injury concluded Denis Shapovalov‘s Wimbledon campaign early, and since then a cloud of doubt loomed over when he could return to the court. Now, almost three weeks after retiring from his first-round match at SW19, the Canadian took the opportunity to reveal the full story behind his results and confirmed his plans to return to the tour. 

“A couple of weeks ago in my first round match in Queens, I fractured my rib,” Shapovalov wrote. “I gave my best efforts to try to play through Wimbledon where unfortunately I further sustained a shoulder injury during the match.” 

“Together with my team we have been working to get ready in time for Los Cabos. Very happy to be back on court again and now gearing to be back in Mexico next week! A big thank you to IMG Academy for having me during this time.”

The rib injury first struck during his opening match at Queen’s Club, a match he actually went on to win against Jack Pinnington Jones, snapping a five-match losing streak in the process despite the fracture. Next round, he lost to top seed Alex de Minaur in straight sets. The Canadian pushed through to Wimbledon regardless, only for the shoulder problem to surface and end his grass season. 

Trailing Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 7-6(7) in the first round, Shapovalov sprinted to chase down a forehand late in the second-set tie-break and was unable to stop himself in time, crashing into the padded barrier surrounding the court. He immediately pulled up in apparent pain and said “I think I f***ed it” to those nearby and was heard clutching his shoulder before receiving treatment on court. He attempted to play one more point, which he lost, and then finally retired mid-match. 

It has already been a brutal stretch for the former world No. 10. Shapovalov had dropped four of his last five matches when he reached Wimbledon, having lost in early-round games in Madrid, Rome, Paris and the Libema Open, as well as a second-round exit at Queen’s where he fractured his rib. His overall record for the season stands at 9-14 heading into the Mexico Open next week. 

Denis Shapovalov’s injury woes

This was not the first time Denis Shapovalov saw an injury derail his season. In 2023, he pushed his already weak knee in the fourth round of Wimbledon against Roman Safiullin, which ended in a defeat. This issue had been troubling him since the 2022 Vienna Open, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev in the final.

To resolve that issue, he did not go for the surgical route. Historically, athletes have avoided surgery unless it was absolutely necessary because the procedure limits the body’s natural movement. The Canadian opted to sit out for six months of the 2023 season, missing the US Open, and returned to training just ahead of the 2024 season.

The return to the Mexico Open carries a personal significance. The 27-year-old is heading to Los Cabos as the defending champion. He won the tournament without dropping a set last year and defeated Aleksandar Kovačević in the final to win his fourth career ATP Tour title and first outdoor court title.

It was a rare matchup between two one-handed backhanders for the first time since Stefanos Tsitsipas and Dominic Thiem faced off in the 2019 ATP Finals. It’s a big challenge to come back from a rib fracture and a shoulder injury, but he will have the confidence in Los Cabos, which can push him through the tournament and eventually carry that to the US Open.