"Best gift" - Denis Shapovalov's girlfriend Mirjam Bjorklund gushes as Canadian presents her with Citi Open 1R win to celebrate her 26th birthday

Denis Shapovalov gave his girlfriend Mirjam Bjorklund a perfect birthday gift yesterday night with a thumping first-round win at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. The Swede was seen cheering him on from the sidelines, as she brought in her 26th birthday in the best possible fashion.

Shapovalov and Bjorklund's relationship dates back to 2019 when the pair first crossed paths. It was almost love at first sight, as they began dating shortly afterward. They took their relationship to new heights in July 2023 by announcing their engagement.

Shapovalov is currently in Washington D.C., participating in the ATP 500 event after opting out of representing Canada at the Paris Olympics. He opened his campaign on Monday, July 29, with an emphatic 6-1, 6-4 victory over Spanish veteran Roberto Bautista Agut.

He took to his social media handle shortly after the match to wish his girlfriend Bjorklund a happy 26th birthday. Glad that he could get her the win on her special day, he also went on to concede that he's very lucky to have her by his side in life.

"Happy birthday @mirjambjorklund 🥳 Glad I could get a win today for your special day!! So happy I have you in my life," Shapovalov wrote on Instagram.

Bjorklund replied to the birthday wish with a trio of heart emojis. She also re-shared the post via her social, while admitting that it was the "best birthday gift" she'd received.

Mirjam Bjorklund responds to boyfriend Denis Shapovalov's birthday wish (Picture: @mirjambjorklund Instagram)

Denis Shapovalov also made sure to thank Bjorklund for spending her birthday cheering him on during his first-round encounter in Washington D.C.

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Denis Shapovalov's round two opponent at 2024 Mubadala Citi DC Open

Day Six: The Championships - Wimbledon 2024 - Source: Getty

Denis Shapovalov is set to lock horns with sixth seed Adrian Mannarino in a highly anticipated second-round clash at the 2024 Mubadala Citi DC Open on Tuesday, July 30.

Mannarino will play his first match after receiving a bye in his opening round due to his rank. The 36-year-old Frenchman is 8-19 for the season and is currently ranked No. 32 on the men's singles charts.

Shapovalov and Mannarino have faced off twice on tour and split their head-to-head evenly with one win each. They last played back in 2017 in Basel, with Mannarino winning that encounter from a set down 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

They are scheduled to play the last match of the day on stadium John Harris after the all-American encounter between Peyton Stearns and Clervie Ngounoue.