Naked ambition: Tennis star Daniela Hantuchova and NFL hunk Rob …

By
Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED:

16:38 GMT, 11 July 2012

|

UPDATED:

16:43 GMT, 11 July 2012

Daniela Hantuchova is among 27-world-class athletes to have bared for the annual ESPN Body Issue.

The 29-yerar-old Slovakian tennis star is seen here in (almost) all of her glory, save for a strategically placed arm to cover her chest.

She joins the likes of New England Patriots hunk Rob Gronkowski, 23, and New York Knicks’ Tyson Chandler, 29, who doesn’t hold back in praising his own physique.

Daring to bare: Slovakian tennis star Daniela Hantuchova is among 27-world-class athletes to have posed nude for the ESPN Body Issue

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Strategically placed: NFL’s Rob Gronkowski pulls no punches and, right, NBA hunk Tyson Chandler, who praises his own physique saying: ‘I’m tall with broad shoulders and my waist is small’

Speaking to the mag, Hantuchova –
known for the statuesque physique – reveals she struggles to put on
muscle – despite regularly working out.

She says: ‘ In my sport, I’m not the most physical girl out there. I can work
really hard lifting weights, and I do, but it just doesn’t show that
much.’

But she goes on to say that she is lucky enough to be able to eat without thinking about calories: ‘I’m
really lucky that I can eat pretty much anything and I don’t know where
it goes. I burn a lot because I work so much on the court, but I don’t
watch calories.’

Gronkowski reveals he has always grown
up around fitness, saying: ‘My father was in the fitness equipment
business, so our basement was always a weight room.’

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Tip top shape: WNBA star Candace Parker, left, and mixed martial arts athlete
Ronda Rousey

Striking pose: Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista puts his muscular build on display

And talking about how he honed his running skills, he added: ‘I wasn’t very coordinated as a
kid. My running was sloppy because I got tall quickly. But once I got
used to my body, I became more coordinated. My running is all cleaned up
now.’

For the New York Knick’s centre, Tyson Chandler, ‘The Body Issue’ is a
chance for him to let the ‘average person’ take ‘a good look at
athletes’ bodies and why we are able to do the things we do.’

‘I think a lot of people are curious about it,’ added Chandler.

‘I wanted people to look at my body and see why I’m able to do the things I do on the court.

‘Also, it’s a very artistic shoot, and seeing that in past issues made me want to do it.’

Indeed, 29-year-old Chandler is particularly proud of his body, claiming to be very well proportioned.

‘I’m tall with broad shoulders,’ said Chandler to ESPN in an interview prior to the launch of the edition.

Cover girls: Daniela and Ronda last night at a party in Los Angeles, hosted by ESPN to celebrate the magazine's 4th annual Body Issue

Cover girls: Daniela and Ronda last night at a party in Los Angeles, hosted by ESPN to celebrate the magazine’s 4th annual Body Issue

Say cheese: A smiling Gronkowski was also among the stars who turned up to the event held at the Belasco Theater

‘And my waist is small. I’m into fashion, So I like the way clothes lay on me.

‘I’m pretty much a normal person’s size, just stretched out.’

With a special slant this year on the 2012 London Olympics, ‘The Body
Issue’ includes a total of 27-world-class athletes all in the buff.

Described by ESPN as a chance ‘to
unapologetically stand in awe of the athletes who’ve pushed their
physiques to profound frontiers,’ this year’s edition says editor in
chief, Chad Millman contains athletes who ‘just recently popped.’

Other stars to have taken part
pictured here are WNBA star Candace Parker, mixed martial arts athlete
Ronda Rousey and Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista.

The ESPN Body Issue is released on July 13.