"I'm not a very modest person, so I was really feeling it. I was having a good time and trying to feel sexy in my own body; I think it worked. The pictures and the layout came out very classy. Playboy is a very classy operation all around. It was important to me, because I'm representing an athlete and her body, so I wanted it to come out showcasing that."

Yes, ma'am. Harkleroad hopes this shoot will "broaden" her profile and to let people know that she's not just another hot chick on the WTA. No, she's proud of her body and works hard for it, and it was probably a nice payday. Apparently, she saw Ana Ivanovic's relatively tame FHM cover shoot and raised her, well, full-frontal nudity. No word on whether this profile-broadening will help Harkleroad's world ranking, currently at 65.

The photos in their censored form can be seen at the WTA Tennis blog, with convenient little boxes that cover up most of Harkleroad's boobocity. If you're looking for bare-assed Ashley, well, there are apparently a few scumbags floating around the Tennisforum.com who've got themselves a scanner(the pages load slowly, so, if you're in a rush to get out for summer hours, it might not be worth it. Oh, and probably not safe for work unless you are Justin Gimelstob. )

The sun-shaped tramp stamp is a predictable, yet pleasant surprise.

Ah, Fridays...

Ashley Harkleroad Photos In Playboy [WTA Tennis Blog]
An Interview With Ashley Harkleroad [ESPN The Mag]

Harkleroad, currently ranked no. 61 in the world, told the Times UK that the shoot was hard-ass work. "I stay in shape and try to stay fit. I'm just trying to represent a female athlete and her body. That can be sexy, too. It's no big deal," she told the paper.

Female athletes and their bodies should be thrilled to have such a courageous, nubile representative willing to get out there and show the world that those short tennis skirts and tight-fitting tank tops aren't in fact hiding hog-sized hips and a third breast.

Ashley Harkleroad To Pose For Playboy [Times UK]
Athletes And The Dicey Posing For Playboy [The Big Lead]