If there's one thing we've learned from the sports world over the last 15 years, it's this: Jocks are hot.
We don't mean the dudes, we mean the lady athletes who go out there and give it their all. The Russian bombshells who'd ace you at tennis; the Olympic swimmers who'd leave you in their wake like hurried mermaids; the downhill skiers who'd give you the cold shoulder without missing a gate; the soccer babes who'd slide-tackle you and be on their merry way, ponytails a-bouncing. These days, the on-field talent is likely to be not just athletic, but beautiful.
This, we think, is a good thing.
You could pin the start of this Age of the Beautiful Athlete to Katarina Witt, whose two Playboy photo features are still among the best sports spreads ever published. Anna Kournikova became more famous for her looks than her on-court skills. Amanda Beard stole the show every four years in sexy pre-Olympics shoots. Now, we're seeing a crop of hot lady golfers. Yes, hot lady golfers. Not something you could say in the '80s with a straight face.
Prepare to have your ass handed to you by some girls who got game. Here are the 25 hottest female athlete photo shoots.
RELATED: The 50 Hottest Celebrity Sports Fans
RELATED: The 50 Hottest Olympic Athletes of All Time
If there's one thing we've learned from the sports world over the last 15 years, it's this: Jocks are hot.
We don't mean the dudes, we mean the lady athletes who go out there and give it their all. The Russian bombshells who'd ace you at tennis; the Olympic swimmers who'd leave you in their wake like hurried mermaids; the downhill skiers who'd give you the cold shoulder without missing a gate; the soccer babes who'd slide-tackle you and be on their merry way, ponytails a-bouncing. These days, the on-field talent is likely to be not just athletic, but beautiful.
This, we think, is a good thing.
You could pin the start of this Age of the Beautiful Athlete to Katarina Witt, whose two Playboy photo features are still among the best sports spreads ever published. Anna Kournikova became more famous for her looks than her on-court skills. Amanda Beard stole the show every four years in sexy pre-Olympics shoots. Now, we're seeing a crop of hot lady golfers. Yes, hot lady golfers. Not something you could say in the '80s with a straight face.
Prepare to have your ass handed to you by some girls who got game. Here are the 25 hottest female athlete photo shoots.
RELATED: The 50 Hottest Celebrity Sports Fans
RELATED: The 50 Hottest Olympic Athletes of All Time
Danica Patrick, American Race Car Driver
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2009) by photographer Marlena Bielinska
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Tatiana Golovin, French Tennis Player
Niki Gudex, Australian Mountain Bike Racer
Sophie Horn, American Golfer
Publication: sophiehorn.com
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Natalie Gulbis, American Golfer
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2012) by Kayt Jones
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Candace Parker, American Basketball Player
Publication: ESPN the Magazine, July 23 (2012) by Ture Lillegraven
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Daniela Hantuchova, Slovak Tennis Player
Erin Phillips, Australian Basketball Player
Jennifer Barretta, American Billiards Player
Publication: FHM, June (2004), by Eric Cahan
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Antonija Misura, Croatian Basketball Player
Julia Mancuso, American Skier
Tanith Belbin, Canadian Ice Dancer
Publication: Men's Health December (2009) by Warwick Saint
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Kim Glass, American Volleyball Player
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2011) by Stephan Wurth
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Bruna Schmitz, Brazilian Surfer
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2011) by Stephan Wurth
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Lindsey Vonn, American Skier
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2010) by Warwick Saint
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Serena Williams, American Tennis Player
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2003) by Walter Iooss, Jr.
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Kristi Leskinen, American Freestyle Skier
Leryn Franco, Paraguayan Javelin Thrower
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2011) by Stephan Wurth
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Ana Ivanovic, Serbian Tennis Player
Publication: FHM UK, August (2008) by Don Flood
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Maria Sharapova, Russian Tennis Player
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2006) by Walter Iooss, Jr.
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Anna Kournikova, Russian Tennis Player
Amanda Beard, American Swimmer
Publication: FHM August (2006) by Douglas Bizzaro and Elizabeth Moss
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Alex Morgan, American Soccer Player
Publication: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue (2012) by Kayt Jones
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