World No.61 Ashley Harkleroad who yesterday lost to Serena Williams 6-2 6-1 in the first round of Roland Garros, revealed that she posed for the August edition of Playboy magazine.
“I’m proud of my body. I was representing a female athlete’s body,” Harkleroad said after the match.
“I’ll be the first tennis player ever. That’s kind of cool.”
“There’s a few reasons why I did it, but I can’t really go into it right now,” the 23-year-old American added. “But like I said, I really didn’t think it was that big of a deal. I’m proud of my body. I stay in shape and try to stay fit.”
Serena Williams has nothing against Harkleroad’s decision to appear in Playboy, but she doesn’t have such plans for herself.
“I can’t say right now it’s in any thought of my mind to be in that mag,” Williams said. “But I’m happy for her if that’s what she wanted to do. It takes a lot of courage.”
Well, Serena was courageous too, she had her own naked moments. (source: ESPN)
Great decision for her career!
I will be awaiting this issue of the magazine for sure lol
To be proud of posing for ‘Playboy’…
O tempora, o mores!
After all that talk about not wanting to be part of marketing sex on the tour–there she goes. I am really disappointed in her, not just for doing this, but for the hypocrisy. If Harkleroad wants to pose nude, I’m down with that, but not for a publication with a long history of demeaning (and in some cases, abusing) women.