Maria Yuryevna Sharapova was born poor. In 1986, her parents fled their Russian hometown when the Chernobyl nuclear disaster struck. When she and her father, Yuri, flew to America in March of 1996, they brought with them only $700—borrowed from Maria’s grandparents. Worse, both Sharapovas spoke no English.

In their own version of “In Pursuit of Happyness,” Yuri knocked on the Nick Bolletieri Tennis Academy in Florida hoping to enroll his daughter. Unfortunately, said the coaches, “Yes, she’s good but, sorry, sir, she’s too young for a full-time scholarship.” That didn’t stop dad Yuri: he worked odd jobs and taught Maria in public tennis courts. Soon, Maria grew taller and was accepted inside Bolletieri. The rest, as the saying goes, is her-story…

Maria, aged 17, goes on a fairy-tale London ride and wins the 2004 Wimbledon. Two years later, she captures the 2006 U.S. Open and soon after becomes the no.1 women’s player on earth.

Here are three (3) photos of Ms. Sharapova from the Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated (2006). Pictures taken by Walter Iooss Jr. The full website (and all the 22 photos) can be accessed here.