Fort Oglethorpe realtor Danny Harkleroad said he never fathomed he would pick up a copy of Playboy magazine and see his daughter on the cover.

On July 13, it will become a reality for the former high school football star, who once lead the Chattanooga area in passing as a quarterback for Chattanooga Valley.

Ashley Harkleroad, 23, daughter of Danny and Tammy Harkleroad, announced after losing in the French Open to Serena Williams last weekend that she had posed and will appear in the August edition of Playboy.

The 61st-ranked American tennis star, who was raised in Flintstone and has called Chickamauga home, said she decided to pose nude in Playboy because she is "proud" of her body. She will become the first tennis player to appear in Playboy.

“I stay in shape and try to stay fit, so like I said, I’m just trying to represent a female athlete and her body," she said. "That can be sexy too, you know.”

Mr. Harkleroad said he and Tammy braced for the worst when the news hit the streets.

However, to their surprise he said the family and Ashley has received "a lot of positive feedback."

"We were really nervous about it," he said. "We've been very surprised with how everyone has been. We've been relieved."

Mr. Harkleroad said he and his wife have already seen a few of the shots, which were done on a four-day session in Los Angeles.

He said Ashley was allowed to choose the photos and said, "they were done in good taste."

Ashley is in France and could not be reached for comment at this time.

Mr. Harkleroad said he understands why she chose to do the shoot. He said her family had no part of her decision and disagreed with her choice.

"(Her mother and I) didn't want her to do it," he said. "I told her, don't do it because you just don't know how it's going to go. My advice to her was don't do it. But all the wheels were going in motion before we could do anything. And she's a grown woman, so what could we say?"

Mr. Harkleroad said although Ashley is "proud of her body,” it's also "taken a beating" during the many matches she has played as an amateur and professional.

He said he doesn't know when, but she eventually wants to get out of tennis and pursue other careers that might include modeling and acting.

Mr. Harkleroad said he hopes Playboy will open some of those doors for her.

One opportunity may have Ashley Harkleroad dancing with joy.

Mr. Harkleroad said the agency that represents her has already been contacted about the possibilities of participating in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

He did say the family would eventually be invited to Hugh Hefner 's Playboy mansion in the future.