1 post tagged “london”

Ashley Harkleroad will be appearing in nude photos in Playboy's August edition. The 23-year-old tennis player first riveted the tennis world's attention with a racy outfit at the 2001 US Open when she was just a minor. Harkleroad has often been compared to Anna Kournikova for her blatant use of sex appeal, and her Playboy appearance just furthers the comparison.On the cover of the latest Playboy, Ashley Harkleroad, nude, asks: Tennis, anyone?The publishers of the magazine claim that she was a natural in the studio, posing easily and confidently in front of camera, not remotely phased by the kind of nakedness she normally restricts to the locker room. That must have annoyed the heck out of every glamour model in the business. While she could apparently do their job with ease, the 'Nikkis' and 'Kylies' could never match the whip of her double-handed backhand or the graceful arc of her forehand.
And while many men who pick up the issue may never have played the sport in their lives, there's a good chance each and every one of them will be reaching for balls after seeing photos of Harkleroad naked. But Ashley's tennis career hasn't come without a cost. She lost an ovary at the Sony Ericsson Open after a cyst in one of her ovaries burst. Perhaps a scar from the operation will be visible in Harkleroad's nude Playboy photos.I don't know her purposes exactly for posing for Playboy, I mean she's said she's comfortable with her body (whatever, everyone who does this says that), but I'd have to think it's more than just that. She's probably come to the realization that she's never going to become what she was supposed to be, so rather than simply fade away, she'll go down in flames.Afterwards Harkelroad packed up her rackets in her bag, plugged herself back into her Ipod and walked off court, the lenses of the couple of cameras courtside following the bounce of her ponytail. Her appearance at this year's Wimbledon may have been short to the point of non-existent, but those knowing where to look will be able to see a lot more of her in August.