Elina Svitolina, Ruler of Rome

Acrobatic, energetic and diligent, Elina Svitolina from Odessa, Ukraine beat Garbine Muguruza then Simona Halep to conquer Rome 2017. While the tennis world talks about Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Angelique Kerber, Petra Kvitova and other players making news, Svitolina is winning tournaments. The courts where she learned to play in Odessa have faded away, she says. But Svitolina is on the rise.

(images copyright Christopher Johnson, all rights reserved)