Scent-er court

We watch them up there, on that pedestal we put them on, and wonder what it must be like to be one of the world's greatest tennis players. If only they could bottle that experience… hang on, they already have.

If you want to know what it's like to be Maria Sharapova, all you have to do is get a whiff of her fragrance. She may be only 19 years old, but the world number one singles player already has a perfume to her name.

Maria Sharapova by, you guessed it, Maria Sharapova, has top notes of mandarin and bergamot underlined with pomegranate leaf, cassis berries and lemongrass. And if that doesn't get your imagination going, think cashmere musk, white amber crystals and a stroke of vanilla, et voila, you have the essence of Sharapova.

Expression

The Russian beauty is not the only one to have signed on the dotted line with Parlux Fragrances. Andy Roddick released a cologne with the perfumers last year, saying: "Most people know I like to be an original both on and off the court, and I feel fragrance can be such a personal expression."

Another man keen to express himself is the current world number one, Roger Federer. The Swiss star invites you to Feel the Touch — the name of one of his fresh fragrances. Alternatively you can get Inspired, another one of Federer's scents which features a heady blend of exotic herbs, floral elements and warm ambergris.

Stark contrast

In stark contrast, the former world number one, Spaniard Carlos Moya, described the cologne he launched a few years ago as smelling "like I do after I've played for five days and haven't showered in a week".

Luckily for perfumers, most of his peers are more naturally self-promoting than this wild card.

Rivals again

A good example is former pro Gabriela Sabatini who has made a living out of having a nose for something other than tennis. The 36-year-old has nine scents to her credit after launching the first in her own name at the height of her tennis career in 1989. As well as bringing out perfumes with names like Bolero, Cascaya and Devotion, the Argentinean has released an aftershave called Sabatini Wild Wind for her male fans.

Former on-court rival Steffi Graf has returned as Sabatini's competition in the aroma arena. Last year the blissfully married tennis champions Graf and Andre Agassi teamed up with Aramis to launch their own scent, Always, inspired by their very own love story.

Speaking at the time, Agassi said: "In the summer of 2004, when Steffi was inducted into the International Hall of Fame, I said that the words had yet to be found to express what I feel for this woman who I love so much. Now there is a fragrance that does it."

So, if you want to know how he feels about Graf, just pop into your local perfume retailer and sample a free spray.


New smells please

After scouting around on-line to find out what it costs to smell like a tennis pro, here's what I came up with:

Feel the Touch by Roger Federer, $79.99 (Dh294).

Maria Sharapova by Maria Sharapova, $59 (Dh217).

Aramis Always by Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf, $42 (Dh154).

Temperamento by Gabriela Sabatini, $38 (Dh140).

Carlos Moya by Carlos Moya, $36.99 (Dh136).