Blonde, Beautiful and the Tennis is Good Too

It has been dubbed beauty versus the best, a potentially classic encounter between one of the dominant forces in women's tennis and the young pretender who is being acclaimed not just for her sporting skills.

Maria Sharapova's presence in today's Wimbledon women's singles final at the age of just 17 against reigning champion Serena Williams is being heralded as a major sporting achievement.

But it has also left the young Russian on the verge of becoming the sport's latest superstar, helping to transform tennis's image while attracting new sponsors and a newer, younger audience.

Sharapova has described today's match as the most important in her life, but it is also potentially the most lucrative. According to some estimates, a Sharapova victory could earn her up to £50m in commercial deals and advertising.

After years of accusations that women's tennis is too one-sided, dominated by the Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, and suffering from a dowdy image, the arrival of Sharapova comes not before time. She is a marketing director's dream, combining looks that appeal to fans and the tabloid press in equal measure with the talent that could take her to the top of her sport.

She also has a story to tell. Born in Siberia, she began playing tennis at the age of four. When she was seven, her father, Yuri, used his life savings of $700 (£380) to take her to Florida, where she was enrolled at a tennis centre. Her mother had to stay in Russia for two years because she could not get a visa.

Even if Sharapova does not win today, sports finance analysts claim that she has already increased her commercial potential tenfold. She already has a deal with Nike, believed to be worth around $1m (£545,000) a year plus a £450,000 deal with racket makers Prince.

A number of fashion and cosmetics companies have approached her about deals and this year alone she is expected to sign at least three new deals based on her Wimbledon performance.

Wimbledon fortnight has been dominated by Sharapova as British newspapers declared her the new darling of the tournament, with her photograph splashed across the sports and news pages. Headlines such as Ice Maiden, From Russia with Love and Sharaphwoar appeared after each of Sharapova's matches, with one tabloid even dubbing her the new Wayne Rooney (Shazza is the new Wazza).

Whenever Sharapova appeared at Wimbledon, she was followed by a posse of news reporters who appeared more interested in her life off the court than her skill on it.

Comparisons have been made between Sharapova and Anna Kournikova, the former Russian tennis player who also received widespread fame for her appearance and was the previous darling of Wimbledon. Unlike Kournikova, who never won a tournament, tennis observers claim that Sharapova has the potential to be one of the greats.

Alun James, managing director of Hill and Knowlton, which is involved in the commercial sponsorship of tennis, said: "Kournikova was involved in a lot of commercial activities, she did a lot of advertising campaigns and it appeared that she had a lot of distractions outside tennis.

"Sharapova seems to be a bit more focused. She has a ruthless winning streak and if she can stay focused on the tennis and win a number of tournaments then she has huge commercial potential."

Nigel Currie, director of sports marketing consultants GEM group, said: "The future is very bright for her. She is like a breath of fresh air for the women's game.

"Ultimately, Sharapova or any female athlete have to have the skill to play well. It's not just about being a pretty face but, given commercial realities, that does help."

Writing in today's Guardian, the former Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova relates how she first saw Sharapova playing tennis when she was only five years old. "What I saw in Sharapova was not just in the way she played tennis," Navratilova recalls.

"It was there in the way she moved, in the way she walked and the way she would kick a ball or pick it up and throw it. You cannot teach that fluidity or that ease of movement. It was there even in the way she walked. You think 'wow, this kid's an athlete'."