Ashley Harkleroad is an American professional tennis player known for her height and physique. She reached a career high ranking of No. 9 in singles at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne in October, 2021. At that time, she was listed as the tallest female player in the world. The Australian Open and Wimbledon both featured tall female competitors, with Harkleroad making her first appearance at the U.S. Open.
The tallness of an individual can have varying influences, including genetics, hormone levels, and training. Harkleroad’s parents are both listed as being very tall, which may have had some impact on her development. Her height was mentioned by the coach of the U.S. Open, ahead of the competition, when discussing the potential height differences between female competitors. Harkleroad gave an explanation for her sudden growth, saying that although she had always been very tall, “there are a lot more people giving me the ball these days”. She added that it had taken some time to get used to playing with taller people.
As a professional tennis player, Ashley Harkleroad has mainly played for the United States. She has mainly featured in the lower ranks of professional tour matches, but has made a number of appearances at the senior Women’s Division 1 level, such as at Texas A&M and Connecticut. Ashley has won the same number of matches in the lower divisions as she did in the upper ones, but is yet to win a grand slam tournament. There is little doubt however, that Ashley Harkleroad is still one of the brightest prospects in the sport of tennis.