NEW YORK?In college, way before my glitzy years as a full-time beauty editor, friends regarded me as the ?sporty one??perennially clad in trainers, T-shirts and shorts.

As I went for running shoes and rockclimbing gear, I watched peers whip out their lovely M.A.C. compacts and Revlon Raisin Rage lipsticks, and witnessed fratmen give their nods of approval?expressed more visibly through red roses given on Campus Sweetheart days. (Obviously, I had never been a recipient of these blooms.)

There seemed to have been an unspoken clause back then that if you were an athlete, girly cosmetics and fashionable frocks were out of the question.

These days, blending beauty, fashion and sports has never been easier. From super stylish Nike Dri-fit workout ensembles down to the girly-girls who wear them, the Williamses and Sharapovas of the world are now having a ball.

Speaking of feminine athletes and tennis stars, I recently caught up with Christine and Clarice Patrimonio, daughters of basketball celebrity Alvin Patrimonio, who were visiting Manhattan from their adopted hometown of Valencia, Spain.

Fresh from a training session on the Upper East Side, the girls?clutching a pair of tennis rackets, clad in shorts and cute baby T-shirts?arrived with their mom, Cindy. Sixteen-year-old Christine, a part-time print model (her huge Crissa billboards can be traffic-stopping), is already being touted as ?Asia?s Sharapova.?

While Christine boasts delicate features that hog the camera, her younger sister Clarice already has the makings of an international ramp model, at 14, with her long limbs, exotic face and gorgeous caramel complexion.

I asked the girls how they maintain their looks 24/7, what with being outdoors and sweating it out on the courts every day.

Aim for soft, (sun)safe skin. ?We moisturize all the time and wear sunblock!? says Christine. ?And we choose the one with the highest SPF during the day.? Their sunscreen arsenal includes picks from Nivea, Aveeno, Coppertone and Clinique. ?I also tell them to slather lotion every night,? adds Cindy.

Combat emerging blemishes. With all the sweat and sun exposure (plus jetlag when traveling for tournaments), how do the girls deal with breakouts? ?Heno de Pravia soap!? shares Cindy. ?But you [still] have to moisturize afterwards.? [Ed?s note: When trying out a new product, always test on a small area first to rule out any allergic reactions.]

Get enough sleep. The benefits of sleep are numerous, among them muscle and tissue repair, stress relief and simply feeling and looking well-rested. For the Patrimonios, living in Spain means they officially get their siesta [afternoon nap] daily. Christine has her routine down pat: ?After playing tennis in the morning, I do weights. And then I take a nap.?

Try out fragrances. Body chemistry plays a big part in finding the right fragrance. For regular gym-goers and athletes, perfume posts a tricky dynamic when it comes to one?s post-workout whiff. ?I advise the girls to wear a light cologne after training,? says Cindy, whose teen girls wear Victoria?s Secret Body Splash in Love Spell. ?We also like DKNY Be Delicious (the original) and Chanel Chance,? shares Christine. The young athletes switch to deeper scents like Carolina Herrera and Armani Sensi when it gets cooler outside.

Mariel Chua is the former beauty editor of Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, and Ok! Magazine. She is now based in New York City. Visit NyMinuteNow.com.