Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model Hannah Davis has spoken up about the criticisms surrounding her "provocative photo" in the recent magazine issue where she can be seen pulling her bikini down.

Davis told AP Sports that she finds the controversy "silly." She thinks people just want to create a big fuss out of it.

"There are far more scandalous pictures in the magazine if you open it up. It's a girl in a bikini, and I think it's empowering; I've been hearing it's degrading. I think the people who are saying that aren't feminists, because I think when you're a woman and you look at that picture and if you overanalyze it as anything more than just a full picture, it's just silly to me,'' the model added.

In an interview with the Today Show, Davis said that people are just "making it look a lot naughtier than it really is to be honest."

Daily Mail, which reported on the TV interview, said that the model credited SI's creative team for coming up with a new theme this year, which she called "the year of the torso."

She's also happy to have joined the ranks of supermodels who have been featured in SI like Heidi Klum, Kate Upton and Tyra Banks, Daily Mail added.

"It was an overwhelming sort-of moment. I was so blindsided by the whole thing, but it's an honor," she added.

Davis is a Victoria Secret angel and the girlfriend of MLB's Derek Jeter. According to Daily Mail, she wants to follow the feat achieved by model Kathy Ireland who landed as the SI cover three times.

"I really actually would like to model my career after someone like Kathy Ireland. I think she just built this incredible empire, but she honors the fact that Sports Illustrated was the platform that got her to that place," she added, as quoted by the Daily Mail.

Jeter was with Davis when she celebrated with other SI models at the Chelsea nightclub Marquee, and he showed that he's very proud of the achievement of his girlfriend, Fox News reported.

"He was super-accommodating to her, asking if she wanted him to walk the carpet or just go inside," the Fox News source revealed.

In 2014, Nina Agdal, Lily Aldridge and Chrissy Teigen appeared on the SI cover. The recent criticisms made Aldridge speak up and stand up for Davis who is also a close friend.

''I think people are totally overreacting over the cover. It's a beautiful picture. Her bikini bottoms are in the perfectly placed position. It's fine. It's sexy and that's what Sports Illustrated is,'' Aldridge told AP Sports.

It seems like the model is not just strong in addressing the issues of the magazine issue but she also has a ton of support from her loved ones especially from Jeter.