I draw a lot of inspiration from Djokovic," admits Grant, a rising star in women's tennis

Tyra Grant, ranked 308th in the world, made headlines in early May at the WTA 1000 in Rome by playing the very first match of her career on the main tour. She lost to Antonia Ruzic in three sets (3-6, 6-3, 7-5).

The 17-year-old player has also switched sporting nationalities, now representing Italy after previously playing under the United States flag. In an interview with Ubitennis, Grant spoke about the player who inspired her when she was younger:

"Without a doubt, Djokovic is my favorite player. I draw a lot of inspiration from him, even though we don’t have a similar playing style. Many people don’t like him for various reasons, but he has always been my reference point.

In women’s tennis, I’m not so sure. I think I have a pretty unique playing style, so there isn’t any player that comes to mind right now.