Tessa Shapovalova

Tessa Shapovalova, born on March fourteenth, nineteen sixty-nine, in Lviv, Ukraine, is an accomplished Israeli-Ukrainian tennis coach and former professional player. As a member of the Soviet national tennis team, she showcased her talent during a pivotal time in her home country's history. With the collapse of the Soviet Union, Tessa relocated to Tel Aviv with her husband, Viktor Shapovalov, and their son, Denis.

In Israel, Tessa embraced her passion for tennis by becoming a coach. She is proud of her Jewish heritage and has two children, Evgeniy and Denis, both born in Israel. The family later moved to Canada before Denis's first birthday, where Tessa continued to nurture her son's burgeoning talent.

At the Richmond Hill Country Club, Tessa began her coaching career, where Denis first honed his skills on the court. However, as Denis's passion for tennis grew, he required more court time than the club could provide. In response, Tessa made the bold decision to leave her job and establish Tessa Tennis, a tennis academy in Vaughan, where she continues to coach aspiring players.

Even as Denis has achieved success on the professional circuit, living in the Bahamas and working with former world number eight Mikhail Youzhny, Tessa remains a constant presence in his life. She travels the world with him, supporting his career while also dedicating her time to her academy.