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Tennis Playmate: 'I'm Not Very Modest'

Harkleroad tells all before she bares all

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 17, 2008 10:53 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Ashley Harkleroad isn’t that effusive when she talks about her chosen profession—tennis. “I have to think it's better than having a ‘real job,’” she tells ESPN. But when it comes to posing nude for Playboy, the world’s 65th-ranked player gushes. “I'm not a very modest person, so I was really feeling it,” the 23-year-old says. “I was having a good time and trying to feel sexy in my own body; I think it worked.”

Harkleroad found she loved the camera, and she’s eager to do more shoots. “It's just a different avenue and I wanted to see where it could take me,” she says. As for her first gig, she has nothing but good things to say. “The pictures and the layout came out very classy,” she says. “Playboy is a very classy operation all around.

Ashley Harkleroad hits a backhand shot during her match against Tatjana Malek of Germany in the quarterfinals of the Fed Cup tennis tournament.
Ashley Harkleroad hits a backhand shot during her match against Tatjana Malek of Germany in the quarterfinals of the Fed Cup tennis tournament.   (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)
Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball against Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinals of the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2008.
Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball against Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinals of the Pacific Life Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif., Tuesday, March 18, 2008.   (AP Photo/Mark Avery)
United States player Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball to compatriot Serena Williams during their first round match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris on Sunday May 25, 2008.
United States player Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball to compatriot Serena Williams during their first round match at the French Open tennis tournament in Paris on Sunday May 25, 2008.   (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Ashley Harkleroad keeps her eyes on the ball as she plays Venus Williams, of the United States, during their second round match of the French Open tennis tournament. Williams won 6-1, 7-6.
Ashley Harkleroad keeps her eyes on the ball as she plays Venus Williams, of the United States, during their second round match of the French Open tennis tournament. Williams won 6-1, 7-6.   (AP Photo/Francois Mori)
USA's Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball as she plays with Russia's Galina Voskoboeva, unseen, against Japan's Ai Sugiyama and Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik.
USA's Ashley Harkleroad returns the ball as she plays with Russia's Galina Voskoboeva, unseen, against Japan's Ai Sugiyama and Slovenia's Katarina Srebotnik.   (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
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See the cover of Harkleroad's Playboy issue
ESPN

Shoot easier than tennis for Harkleroad
Telegraph (UK)

Playboy star has sorry outing against Mauresmo
Daily Mail (UK)

 
tennis • women's tennis • Playboy • soft porn • interview • Ashley Harkleroad

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