Hottest Female Athletes

Ana%20Ivanovic%20is%20a%20Serbian%20tennis%20player%20and%20one%20of%20the%20biggest%20up-and-coming%20names%20in%20pro%20tennis.%20She%E2%80%99s%20reached%20the%20finals%20of%20two%20Grand%20Slam%20tournaments%3A%20the%20French%20Open%20in%202007%2C%20and%20the%20Australian%20Open%20in%202008%2C%20but%20she%20lost%20in%20both.%20Born%20on%20Nov.%206%2C%201987%2C%20this%20Serb%20has%20many%20great%20years%20ahead%20of%20her.%20Credit%3A%20AP

Gabrielle%20Reece%20is%20a%20star%20volleyball%20player%2C%20model%2C%20and%20actress.%20She%20made%20her%20mark%20first%20in%20the%20volleyball%20world%20when%20she%20attended%20Florida%20State%20University%2C%20where%20she%20was%20inducted%20into%20the%20school%E2%80%99s%20Athletic%20Hall%20of%20Fame%20in%201997.%20She%20still%20holds%20the%20record%20for%20solo%20blocks%20and%20total%20blocks%20at%20the%20school.%20Reece%20moved%20onto%20pro%20volleyball%20after%20college%20and%20won%20numerous%20titles%20in%20the%20WBVL.%20She%E2%80%99s%20appeared%20on%20the%20covers%20of%20many%20magazines%2C%20including%20ELLE%2C%20Vogue%2C%20Shape%2C%20and%20Playboy.%20%28Credit%3A%20Stephen%20Shugerman%2FGetty%20Images%29

U.S.%20player%20Ashley%20Harkleroad%2C%20once%20billed%20as%20the%20next%20great%20American%20superstar%2C%20has%20never%20been%20ranked%20higher%20than%2039th%20in%20the%20world.%20Still%2C%20Harkleroad%20did%20make%20history%20when%20she%20announced%20%E2%80%94%20following%20her%20loss%20to%20Serena%20Williams%20in%20the%202008%20French%20Open%20%E2%80%94%20that%20she%20would%20become%20the%20first%20professional%20tennis%20player%20to%20pose%20nude%20for%20Playboy%20magazine.%20%28Credit%3A%20Pierre%20Verdy%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Sasha%20Cohen%20is%20an%20American%20figure%20skater%20born%20Oct.%2026%2C%201984.%20Her%20storied%20career%20includes%20wins%20at%20the%202006%20U.S.%20Championship%2C%20the%202005%20Campbell%E2%80%99s%20Classic%2C%20and%20the%202003%20ISU%20Grand%20Prix%20Final.%20In%202006%2C%20she%20took%20silver%20at%20the%202006%20Winter%20Olympics%20in%20Turin.%20She%20was%20the%202004%20%26amp%3B%202005%20U.S.%20Olympic%20Committee%20Female%20Figure%20Skater%20of%20the%20Year.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Soccer%20player%20Heather%20Mitts%20is%20a%20defender%20for%20the%20United%20States%20Women%E2%80%99s%20National%20Soccer%20team.%20She%20was%20an%20All-American%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Florida%20and%20helped%20lead%20them%20to%20a%20national%20title%20in%201998.%20Mitts%20was%20also%20part%20of%20the%20gold%20medal-winning%20Olympic%20soccer%20team%20in%202004%2C%20the%20same%20year%20that%20she%20was%20also%20named%20ESPN%E2%80%99s%20Hottest%20Female%20Athlete.%20%28Credit%3A%20Peter%20Kramer%2FGetty%20Images%29

Russian-born%20tennis%20player%20Anna%20Kournikova%20never%20won%20a%20Grand%20Slam%20singles%20title%2C%20and%20though%20she%20doesn%E2%80%99t%20get%20much%20credit%20for%20her%20success%20on-court%2C%20she%20did%20win%20two%20Grand%20Slam%20doubles%20championships%20with%20Martina%20Hingis%20in%20the%201999%20and%202000%20Australian%20Opens.%20Persistent%20back%20injuries%20have%20kept%20her%20off%20the%20court%20in%20recent%20years%2C%20but%20her%20beauty%20kept%20her%20busy%20in%20numerous%20magazines.%20She%20was%20named%20one%20of%20People%E2%80%99s%2050%20Most%20Beautiful%20People%20in%201998%2C%202000%2C%202002%20and%202003.%20Kournikova%20has%20been%20romantically%20linked%20to%20hockey%20star%20Sergei%20Fedorov%20and%20singer%20Enrique%20Iglesias.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Sprinter%20Christine%20Arron%20was%20born%20in%20Guadaloupe%2C%20but%20completes%20for%20France.%20She%20was%20named%20the%201998%20European%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Athlete%20of%20the%20Year%2C%20after%20winning%20the%20100m%20at%20the%20European%20Athletics%20Championships.%20She%20was%20a%20member%20of%20the%204%C3%97100%20relay%20squad%20that%20upset%20the%20U.S.%20for%20the%20gold%20in%20the%202003%20World%20Championships%20in%20Athletics.%20She%20holds%20the%20second%20fastest%20100m%20performance%20time%20ever%2C%20behind%20Florence%20Griffith-Joyner.%20%28Credit%3A%20Valery%20Hache%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Jennie%20Finch%20may%20be%20the%20most%20well-known%20softball%20player%20to%20date.%20Complete%20with%20a%20practically%20unhittable%20riseball%2C%20Finch%20was%20a%20three-time%20All-American%20at%20the%20University%20of%20Arizona%2C%20setting%20an%20NCAA%20record%20with%2032%20wins%20in%20her%20junior%20year.%20She%20led%20the%202004%20Olympic%20softball%20team%20to%20gold%20when%20she%20went%202-0%2C%20striking%20out%2013%20batters%20in%208%20innings%2C%20yielding%20no%20runs%20and%20just%20one%20hit.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

It%E2%80%99s%20hard%20to%20believe%20Maria%20Sharapova%20turned%20pro%20in%202001%20and%20turns%20only%2021-years-old%20in%202008.%20The%20three-time%20Grand%20Slam%20tournament%20champion%20won%20the%20Australian%20Open%20in%202008%20and%20now%20must%20capture%20the%20French%20Open%20title%20to%20have%20won%20all%20four%20Grand%20Slam%20tournaments.%20Incredibly%2C%20her%20first%20Grand%20Slam%20singles%20title%20came%20when%20she%20was%20just%2017%2C%20defeating%20Serena%20Williams%20in%20the%20U.S.%20Open%20in%202004.%20With%20many%20years%20ahead%20of%20her%2C%20only%20time%20will%20tell%20how%20many%20titles%20this%20future%20legend%20will%20capture.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Professional%20golfer%20Natalie%20Gulbis%20is%20a%20rising%20star%20who%20finally%20captured%20her%20elusive%20first%20LPGA%20title%20in%202007%2C%20winning%20the%20Evian%20Masters%20in%20a%20playoff%20against%20Jeong%20Jang.%20She%E2%80%99s%20fared%20well%20in%20recent%20major%20tournaments%2C%20placing%203rd%20in%20the%202006%20Kraft%20Nabisco%20Championship%2C%20and%20finishing%20in%20the%20top-10%20in%202005%20in%20the%20three%20other%20major%20tournaments.%20Gulbis%20also%20began%20writing%20a%20golf%20advice%20column%20in%20men%E2%80%99s%20magazine%20FHM%2C%20and%20even%20had%20her%20own%20reality%20show%20on%20The%20Golf%20Channel%20called%20%E2%80%9CThe%20Natalie%20Gulbis%20Show.%E2%80%9D%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Tanith%20Belbin%20is%20a%20Canadian-American%20ice%20dancer%20who%20won%20silver%20for%20the%20U.S.%20in%20the%202006%20Olympics%20with%20partner%20Benjamin%20Agosto.%20Belbin%20and%20Agosto%20became%20the%20first%20American%20ice%20dancers%20to%20win%20an%20Olympic%20medal%20in%2030%20years.%20She%20is%20a%20five-time%20U.S.%20National%20Champion%2C%20winning%20her%20most%20recent%20title%20in%20Jan.%202008%20in%20St.%20Paul.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

If%20you%E2%80%99re%20not%20familiar%20with%20professional%20wrestling%2C%20you%20may%20recognize%20her%20from%20the%20popular%20%E2%80%9CGoDaddy%E2%80%9D%20Super%20Bowl%20ads.%20Either%20way%2C%20WWE%20Diva%20Candice%20Michelle%20is%20more%20than%20just%20a%20pretty%20face.%20The%20former%20Playboy%20cover%20girl%20has%20shown%20she%E2%80%99s%20tough%20as%20nails%20in%20the%20wrestling%20ring.%20Candice%20captured%20the%20WWE%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship%20in%202007.%20Since%20losing%20the%20belt%20in%20Oct.%202007%2C%20she%E2%80%99s%20been%20battling%20injuries%20after%20twice%20breaking%20her%20clavicle%20while%20wrestling%2C%20but%20there%E2%80%99s%20no%20doubt%20she%E2%80%99ll%20hoist%20the%20gold%20once%20again%20when%20she%20gets%20healthy.%20%28Credit%3A%202008%20World%20Wrestling%20Entertainment%2C%20Inc.%20All%20Rights%20Reserved%29

Swin%20Cash%20is%20the%20star%20forward%20on%20the%20Seattle%20Storm%20in%20the%20WNBA%20and%20has%20had%20a%20very%20successful%20collegiate%20and%20professional%20career.%20Cash%20helped%20lead%20the%20University%20of%20Connecticut%20to%20national%20titles%20in%202000%20and%202002%2C%20and%20helped%20lead%20the%20Detroit%20Shock%20to%20the%20WNBA%20Championship%20in%20just%20her%20second%20season.%20Cash%20also%20won%20Olympic%20gold%20as%20a%20member%20of%20the%202004%20women%E2%80%99s%20basketball%20team.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Amanda%20Beard%20is%20a%20gold%20medal%20Olympic%20swimmer%2C%20a%20former%20world%20champion%2C%20a%20former%20U.S.%20champion%2C%20and%20even%20a%20former%20Playboy%20cover%20girl.%20In%202004%20she%20won%20individual%20gold%20at%20the%20Olympics%20in%20Athens%20for%20the%20200m%20breaststroke%2C%20and%20in%201996%20she%20won%20gold%20as%20part%20of%20the%204x100m%20medley%20relay%20team.%20Beard%20has%20captured%20eight%20U.S.%20titles%2C%20and%20won%20the%20gold%20in%20the%20200m%20breaststroke%20at%20the%202003%20World%20Championships%20in%20Barcelona.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Stacy%20Keibler%20has%20accomplished%20plenty%20during%20her%20young%20career.%20Though%20she%20may%20be%20best%20known%20for%20performing%20on%20the%20show%20%E2%80%9CDancing%20With%20the%20Stars%2C%E2%80%9D%20she%20gained%20her%20real%20claim%20to%20fame%20as%20a%20WWE%20Diva.%20Before%20entering%20the%20wrestling%20ring%2C%20Keibler%20was%20a%20professional%20cheerleader%20for%20the%20Baltimore%20Ravens.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Toldeo%2C%20Ohio%20native%20Gretchen%20Bleiler%20is%20considered%20one%20of%20the%20best%20snowboarders%20in%20the%20world.%20Most%20recently%2C%20she%20won%202008%20X%20Games%20gold%20on%20the%20halfpipe%20in%20Aspen.%20She%20holds%20two%20WX%20SuperPipe%20gold%20medals%20%28%E2%80%9903%2C%20%E2%80%9905%29%2C%20silver%20from%20%E2%80%9907%20and%20a%20silver%20medal%20in%20halfpipe%20from%20the%20%E2%80%9906%20Olympics.%20%28Credit%3A%20Doug%20Pensinger%2FGetty%20Images%29

Australian%20Tatiana%20Grigorieva%20retired%20from%20a%20storied%20pole%20vaulting%20career%20in%202007.%20She%E2%80%99s%20placed%20first%20three%20times%20in%20the%20Australian%20Championships%2C%20and%20won%20gold%20in%20the%202002%20Commonwealth%20Games%20in%20Manchester.%20She%20competed%20in%20the%202000%20Olympics%20in%20Sydney%2C%20where%20she%20won%20the%20silver.%20Since%20retiring%20she%E2%80%99s%20done%20modeling%20and%20has%20appeared%20on%20the%20Australian%20versions%20of%20%E2%80%9CDancing%20With%20The%20Stars%E2%80%9D%20and%20%E2%80%9CGladiators.%E2%80%9D%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Morgan%20Pressel%20is%20one%20of%20the%20youngest%20professional%20golfers%20on%20the%20LPGA%20tour%2C%20born%20May%2023%2C%201988.%20She%20is%20the%20youngest-ever%20winner%20of%20an%20LPGA%20major%20tournament%2C%20when%20she%20won%20the%20Kraft%20Nabisco%20title%20in%202007.%20She%20also%20tied%20for%20second%20place%20in%20the%202005%20U.S.%20Open.%20Pressel%20has%20reached%20number%204%20in%20the%20Women%E2%80%99s%20World%20Golf%20Rankings.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Serena%20Williams%20is%20one%20of%20the%20greatest%20and%20most%20feared%20women%20on%20the%20tennis%20court%20today.%20The%20former%20No.%201%20ranked%20player%20has%20won%20eight%20Grand%20Slam%20tournament%20titles%20and%20was%20a%20gold%20medalist%20in%20the%202000%20Olympics.%20In%202002%2C%20the%20Associated%20Press%20named%20her%20the%20%E2%80%9CFemale%20Athlete%20of%20the%20Year%2C%E2%80%9D%20which%20she%20also%20received%20an%20ESPY%20award%20for%20in%202003.%20%28Credit%3A%20Rick%20Stevens%29

WWE%20Diva%20Maria%20Kanellis%20may%20not%20look%20very%20threatening%2C%20but%20put%20her%20in%20a%20wrestling%20ring%20and%20she%E2%80%99ll%20prove%20otherwise.%20One%20of%20the%20most%20popular%20up-and-coming%20WWE%20superstars%2C%20she%20battled%20in%20her%20first%20%E2%80%9CWrestlemania%E2%80%9D%20match%20on%20March%2031%2C%202008%20in%20Orlando.%20Maria%20has%20yet%20to%20hoist%20any%20gold%2C%20but%20she%20can%20now%20say%20she%20is%20a%20Playboy%20cover%20girl%20after%20posing%20in%20the%20April%202008%20issue.%20%28Credit%3A%202008%20World%20Wrestling%20Entertainment%2C%20Inc.%20All%20Rights%20Reserved%29

Race%20car%20superstar%20Danica%20Patrick%20has%20garnered%20fame%20both%20on%20and%20off%20the%20race%20track.%20The%20first%20woman%20to%20lead%20a%20lap%20at%20the%20Indy%20500%2C%20her%204th%20place%20finish%20in%202005%20is%20the%20highest%20finish%20in%20the%20league%E2%80%99s%20history%20for%20a%20female%20driver.%20Though%20she%20has%20yet%20to%20get%20the%20checkered%20flag%2C%20her%20successes%2C%20coupled%20with%20her%204-page%20photo%20shoot%20in%20Sports%20Illustrated%20magazine%2C%20have%20earned%20her%20a%20dedicated%20following.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29

Born%20April%2023%2C%201983%2C%20Slovak%20tennis%20player%20Daniela%20Hantuchova%20is%20still%20an%20up-and-comer%20on%20the%20court%20and%20has%20a%20very%20bright%20future%20ahead%20of%20her.%20In%202008%20she%20reached%20her%20first%20Grand%20Slam%20semifinal%20at%20the%20Australia%20Open%2C%20where%20she%20lost%20to%20another%20rising%20star%2C%20Ana%20Ivanovic.%20Hantuchova%20has%20had%20lots%20of%20success%20in%20mixed%20doubles%2C%20however%2C%20capturing%20four%20Grand%20Slam%20tournament%20titles.%20%28Credit%3A%20AP%29%20