I originally ran this on Highsnobiety as an editorial at the end of May, but wanted to share it here as well. My take on the current crop of Nike Tennis shoes. Tennis is what made me love sneakers, and as such the excitement of a new court shoe can (just barely) trump that for basketball sneaks. I’m very hyped about the new Hyperfuse, which has a fit and feel similar to the Challenge Court LWP (which I wore for tennis and hoops) and as I’ve just come home from wear testing those thought ‘hell, why not re-post the tennis piece.’

Nike Tennis is Back.

What’s that? Hasn’t Nike recently clothed the now legendary carrier of Roger Federer, furthering a legacy of brand success, Grand Slam victories, and bringing the blazer back into regular tennis rotation? Yes, of course. Nike Tennis hasn’t exactly fallen off the map, but it has been sometime since a shoe from the lineup had the glorious street potential of the Air Courtballistic 2.3.

Last week we showed the kit Raphael Nadal is sporting on the Parisian red clay. The color and styling of the outfit harken to Andre Agassi’s rebel days. Days which put Nike tennis on the map and on the feet of folks who’d perhaps not even thought about swinging a racket.

Tennis and Nike have a long tradition. John McEnroe began working with the swoosh in 1978. He appeared in the “Rebel With a Cause” ad campaign and later championed the original cross trainer. Phil Knight’s choice of McEnroe beginning a legacy of tennis with personality at the swoosh.

Agassi, quite clearly, extended this vision (his rebelliousness featured heavily in advertisements by Cannon). He was the face of the Challenge Court series, one that perpetually challenged tennis norms in terms of aesthetic and color. Some even thought it was the all-white rule of Wimbledon he was avoiding when he sat out the tournament 3 years in a row.

Rebellion.

Nike Tennis had for a time a swagger that translated beyond the bounds of the court. It rebelled against the traditional refinement of European looks that had found favor on British terraces and on American street corners. It was brash and it was distinct.

Nike’s tennis heyday was undoubtedly the 1990s. Save for Michael Chang’s Pumps, it was Agassi’s models that were the most stylish. Two other American’s also figured in the mix – Jim Courier and Pete Sampras. Both were equipped with models fitting of their personality. Courier’s scrappy play generated extraordinarily durable trainers and his love of baseball found shape in pinstriped polos. The Air Resistance had a six month guarantee (to be fair, Adidas also placed a similar guarantee on one of their models), and was dubbed a future classic by Bobbito Garcia in his Where Did You Get Those?. Sampras’ shoes might have lacked the panache of his homegrown rivals, but certainly didn’t fail. Shit, they were fitting of his pure business style.

Still, those tennis shoes from the 1990s have remained (with the exception of Challenge Court models) a touch under the radar. Nike Basketball hits rule the retro roost, and while contemporary hardwood footwear still presents a tide of interest, the tennis shoe remains relatively quite.
With the Air Courtballistic 2.3 Nike quietly raises the profile of its tennis department once again. We can’t miss the nods to Agassi. With its DragOn X toe tip, those of us with a ‘90s lust can’t avoid thinking of Mr. Courier. And, in its white, black and medium gray incarnation, they might still work for the sartorially subdued Sampras.

Much like Agassi’s original climb, the bold shoe challenges stylistic notions of “classic.” We live in an era when odes to tennis past aren’t unfamiliar to street style. Canvas uppers and rubber soles – those duel facets of the traditional court shoe – are on the feet of just about everyone.

Can Nike tennis shake things up again? [I] sure think so.

Here’s my dirty little secret.

My favorite garment? Not the sugar cane denim I’ve worn 4 out of every 7 days for two years. Not the Barbour Beaufort. And no, not Patagonia merino wool shirts. I like these pieces, a lot, but they’ve not produced any unhealthy addictions.

I’ve got a fetish for Under Armour HeatGear longsleeve tees. They have to be grey. They have to have a college name/logo across the front. I stop at damn near every college bookstore I pass to nab one (ordering them would take away from the fun).

These are among some of the least fashionable pieces out. Under Armour being so ubiquitous that it has almost (dare I say) become the fabric of American life.

Founded in 1996, Under Armour began like many t-shirt brands… by selling from the boot of a car (just like FUBU!). The mission was simple – to sell a better t-shirt. A technical t-shirt with superior wicking qualities and all the good stuff that makes life easier on the athlete.

The brand has grown rapidly, I’d say. From the wicking t-shirt they now sell everything from running shoes to hunting apparel. They can outfit your family ski trip. And, they made a brilliant decision in signing Brandon Jennings. It is an American success story. But no, not a “MADE IN THE USA” story.

Under Armour is a new notch in a life long obsession with athletic gear. A short run through – in the late 80s, I tried to own every color of Umbro shorts on the market. In the mid-90s, the NEED was to own as many pairs of authentic Nike college basketball shorts as humanly possible (difficult given extremely high cost). From 1996 to 2001 I bought such a large number of authentic basketball jerseys that to admit to it would be to reveal a streak of insanity. (Sample jersey’s include a Chris Herren Celtics tank, Cavs DeJuan Wagner, several Iverson jerseys, more than one of the same Michael Finley Mavs jersey… you may begin to see the problem).

Now, its long sleeve shirts that fill my closet with names of schools I didn’t attend and institutions I don’t rate academically. Division 3 schools known for lacrosse. A Cincinnati tee marking a trip to watch UCONN at Fifth Third. I’ll draw the line at Purdue, but almost any other place is within reason.

In winter, this collection is regularly hidden under “classier” garments. A long underwear of sorts. More so a secret reminder of my love of average, American sportswear and college athletics.

I am not ashamed to admit to looking at all the “cool guy” Champion collaborations and thinking “damn, that would be better if the blank was Under Armour.”

The fit, weight, hand feel, all perfect. It’s not handcrafted, or even sustainable (as far as I know), but the Under Armour heatgear shirt matches needs like few other pieces.

I love these garments. My dirty little fashion pleasure.