Ashley Harkleroad life and biography

Ashley Harkleroad is an American tennis player.

Born in Rossville, Georgia, Harkleroad reached a career-high ranking of No. 39 on June 9, 2003. Her career prize money to date is $1,009,244. Harkleroad was the first WTA tennis player to pose naked for the American men's magazine Playboy.

CAREER:
Harkleroad debuted with the Fed Cup team for the United States just two weeks later. Facing Germany, Harkleroad, Lindsay Davenport, Laura Granville, and Lisa Raymond made up the United States team. Davenport was upset in a tie, giving the Germans a 1–0 lead. Harkleroad crushed Tatjana Malek and Sabine Lisicki, both in straight sets to help the U.S. win 4–1 and becoming the tie's hero.

She then reached the final of the $75,000 ITF event in Midland where she was defeated by compatriot Laura Granville.

Her next tournament was the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells. She upset Lucie Šafářová and eighth seed Dinara Safina. She then lost to Agnieszka Radwańska in the fourth round in three sets 6–2 4–6 6–4. At the Sony Ericsson Open, she reached the third round after taking out the 23rd seed Virginie Razzano impressively 6–4 6–4, but lost to Elena Vesnina 4–6 7–5 4–6. While at the Sony Ericsson Open, a large cyst on one of her ovaries burst and she was sent to the hospital. She made it through the ordeal but had to lose one of her ovaries.

At the 2008 French Open, she lost 6–2 6–1 against tournament favorite Serena Williams in the first round.

At the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, she lost 6–4 6–3 against 2006 winner Amélie Mauresmo in the first round.

After losing early in the U.S. Open Series, Harkleroad withdrew from the U.S. Open due to a pregnancy. She took an indefinite break from tennis as a result. She gave birth on March 30, 2009 to a boy.

Harkleroad planned on originally coming back at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, but decided to wait for the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami, Florida. She used her special protection rank of 72 to enter the main draw. She played Alicia Molik in the first round. She lost 6–1, 6–1 after only practicing like a player for a month. She also was accepted into the main draw of the 2010 Bank of the West Classic at Stanford. She lost against defending champion Marion Bartoli in the first round 6–1, 6–4. She plans on training and being a parent at the same time. Her next event will be World Team Tennis in the summer.

PERSONAL:

Coached by Chuck Adams; formerly coached by Jose Luis Clerc and Jay Berger
Father, Danny, works in the printing industry and played college football at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga; mother, Tammy, is a school teacher, and played college tennis at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee
Got nickname 'Pebbles' while living in Flintstone, Georgia, a small town with no traffic lights
Lists tennis aspiration as becoming a Top 10 pro with an eye on No.1
Enjoys listening to music by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

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