Sports Illustrated Stars Dazzle Red Carpet In New York
Feb. 9 2010, Published 9:07 a.m. ET
In a canary-yellow bikini and with just her hands to protect her modesty, Brooklyn Decker claimed the cover of the much-hyped Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, which hit newsstands Tuesday morning.
Tuesday night though, she was wearing pink but still managed to sizzle on the red carpet in New York, as the magazine launched the latest installment of its scantily clad pages.
And the wife of American tennis star Andy Roddick caused quite the scene.
Ravenous paparazzos were so desperate to win her attention, they encroached the red carpet and security had to be called in to protect the superstar model.
VIDEO: Brooklyn Decker Is Sports Illustrated Cover Girl
It's the beginning of a year of attention for Decker.
While Roddick was not by her side at the red carpet launch in Manhattan, due to tennis commitments, the 22-year-old told RadarOnline.com that her husband was proud of her achievement.
"This is his bragging rights in the locker room," Decker joked, revealing Roddick flew into New York last night for a surprise congratulations.
Decker made her SI debut in 2006. She boasted to RadarOnline.com that claiming the coveted cover - after four previous attempts - was like winning the Super Bowl.
She also let us in on her secrets to how she looked so good.
"I was actually filming a work out DVD at the time, it was really convenient," Decker admitted.
"So every day before I was shooting, I was working out, doing crunches, weights and it made me have a really healthy, toned body.
"Sports Illustrated is all about natural, curvy women - not about skinny - so for me, it was perfect."
Model Christine Teigen is also one of this year's swimsuit models.
She walked the red carpet with her partner, musician John Legend, and revealed to RadarOnline.com she was discovered while working at a surf store in California.
Not that her father was impressed!
"A photographer walked in one day and he was like, 'Hey, let's shoot some stuff on the beach," Christine recalled.
"I had just moved to California and my dad was like, 'No, if you're going to do it, I am going to hold the light reflectors. So my dad came on the beach. My old man pops, too.
Legend was quick to point out: "You never know what a sleazy photographer will try and do."
Leonardo Di Caprio's partner Bar Refaeli also returned to the magazine. Last year's cover girl seemingly upstaged Decker, arriving after her and stealing the last coveted spot on the red carpet.
She dodged questions about Leo, but admitted she had Valentine's plans for that "someone special".
U.S. Olympic skiers and snowboarders, including gold medal favorites Lindsey Vonn and Hannah Teter - along with tennis star Ana Ivanovic - also appear in the 47th installment of the famed SI magazine.