FASHION FIX: Rafa cut his locks but did he switch out his sneakers?

Rafael Nadal was spotted working shorter, but still lovely, locks in his Davis Cup presser today. But his hair isn't the only thing new with the speedy Spaniard.

It looks like he's working some new style Nike trainers in Spain's colors which don't look like his fave Cages. Anyone have any word about this style (and remember: focus on the shoes ONLY people)?


(images via Getty)

THE LOW DOWN: Nole worked Nike at Wimbledon and adidas gave their blessing

Thanks to DtL! reader Lori for tipping me off to this exciting development between Novak Djokovic and his clothing sponsor adidas. As many of you know, I've been hyper-critical of the global sports brand for its lackadaisical sponsorship/PR for top ballers and poor design vision especially the eye-sore affectionately known as Ana's "ladyfinger" dress. But the drama continues...

Apparently, Nole had been working Nike Cages (below) with the logos whited out during his short stay at The All England Club. The Serb complained to the company after he continually slipped in his Barricades during the Queen's Club final, but adidas couldn't make grass-court shoes in time so they agreed to allow him to wear the Nike sneakers for Wimbledon. WTF?!


Darren Rovell of CNBC.com picked up on the developing story and questioned the decision by both parties. adidas responded to his inquiries saying,

Adidas is committed to providing the best possible sportswear products to inspire and enable all athletes to achieve their Impossible. However, in the tradition of our founder Adi Dassler, we do not oblige athletes to wear a product in competition they do not feel are 100 percent suitable to their style of play. Therefore we have reviewed the request of Novak Djokovic to use another brand of shoes at Wimbledon and have agreed he can wear a product he feels is more suited to his current grass court needs.

Nole also released a statement about the controversy saying,

Over the past 5 years adidas’ commitment to my career has been unbeatable. Adidas Tennis has actively sought my feedback on new products and technologies and I am excited to work on a new products for the 2009 season. In the meantime, I am grateful for adidas’ unrelenting support as I aim to achieve my Impossible at Wimbledon this week.

This well-crafted PR piece seems pretty empty to me.

And to rub salt in the wound, Andy Murray, who usually wears Brit label Fred Perry paired with adidas trainers, confirmed that he switched to Nike as seen below during his first round match:


Great for Nike but where does this leave adidas in tennis? Clearly Nole hasn't switched over to Nike completely but it could be just a matter of time. If the brand can't move quickly to accommodate the product needs of their premiere athletes at the highest-profile tournaments, who would blame them for jumping ship? And, why would the sports label spend all this money to sponsor an athlete and then instead of providing them the proper products in a timely manner, concede to allowing them to wear a competing brand??

Clearly, adidas was caught with their Court Shorts down and not prepared with appropriate product or to deal with this type of issue. What was I saying about lack of vision?

Impossible seems like something for adidas right now.

(images via Getty, tenniswarehouse.com)

FASHION FIX: Fed debuts new white + gold Nike Vapors for Wimbledon

Roger Federer gave a sneak peek at the new Nike Vapors from the White/Gold Collection that he'll be wearing during the Wimbledon fortnight. The trainers feature his "RF" logo on the left shoe and a "5" on the right to signify the Swiss' five consecutive wins at The All England Club.

You can also see the nubby traction on the soles of the shoes especially made for grass-court battling. Very cool.

(image via Getty)

FASHION FIX: The Spring Court sneaker makes a comeback

The Spring Court tennis sneaker is on the rise again. Born in 1936, the sneaker was originally worn by Frenchie tennis ballers back in the day but crossed over into pop culture consciousness when John Lennon rocked a white pair with a suit on the cover of the Beatles' album Abbey Road.


The shoe's trademark features are the four holes on the either side of the sole which combined with the removal insole and arch support provide natural ventilation. No more sweaty feet! And the sneakers come in a cool tin box with graphic sketching.


Check out the site here. The US site even hosts a section called tennis anyone? which is supposed to allow you to play some tennis but it's more like Pong. Oh well - I still love the sneaks.



(images via springcourtusa.com)

FASHION FIX: adidas reissues classic styles for Spring '08 limited-edition Tournament Pack

Back to the future: adidas' Stan Smiths, a personal fave and one of the best-selling sneakers off all-time, is being reintroduced this spring in its original 1977 silhouette for the forthcoming limited-edition Tournament Pack.

Details of the spring reissue include "perforated upper, quality leather, sparing use of forest green and subtle laser etching."


The additional styles included in the Pack are the G.S. original (1981), Forest Hills Vintage original (1977), Nastase Master original (1976), and Rod Laver vintage original (1970).

Can you say hot?

(images via sneakerfiles + hypebeast)

+ TUESDAY NETCORDS: Roger, Rafa, Reebok recycles...Mark plans return, Davis Cup and more

(image courtesy of Green Putty in My Armpit)

- Reebok recycles: Reebok has taken old tennis balls and made special edition pump sneakers out of them. We like this idea, though we wouldn't be caught dead wearing them. We're reminded, though, of the way women sell their hair to make wigs...we get it!

- We were sad to see Rafael Nadal leave the US Open so early, but was it his opponent or is his schedule to blame?

- World No. 1 Roger Federer will be playing Davis Cup at the end of this month against the Czech Republic. And, the media lovefest continues for the future G.O.A.T. - though some aren't ready to give him that just yet.

- You cannot be serious: Aussie reality TV personality Mark Philippoussis is still targeting a return to the pro tennis circuit. Estimated time of arrival: January 2008, Australian Open.

- "Tennis is NOT dead!" announces The New Republic. Wow, it's good to be in the know...

- We love lists, especially from SI's Jon Wertheim.

- Keeping up with the times: Deuce magazine, the ATP's official pub, finally goes digital on a quarterly basis and will cover the personalities and lifestyles of the ATP players. WAIT - isn't that our job?

FASHION FIX: adidas goes global with Stan Smiths City Series

Gettin' your kicks: adidas' ever popular Stan Smiths have become the latest template for their City Series. The sneakers showcase iconic imagery for the cities they represent including Las Vegas, NV; Brussels, Belgium; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Seville, Spain.

We'd be more likely to wear these sneaks than their recent attempts at tennis on-court fashion.

(via conope)

PREVIEW: Rafael Nadal's US Open '07 Nike gear

A huge "thanks!" to Rafael Nadal's PR team for handing us this preview of what clothing sponsor, Nike, is outfitting the World No. 2 in for his run to the US Open title.

"The essence of Rafael’s on-court look, featuring not only superior style, but also advanced Nike Sphere React Dry technology."

"Conquer the court with the same attitude and style as Nadal in these all-condition three-quarter length Dri-FIT shorts."

"An elite-level shoe designed with enhanced torsional rigidity and durable XDR rubber compound to enhance the powerful plays Nadal’s known for."

We are loving the fashion color combo - it definitely plays up the Spaniard's personality and boundless energy.

Could this be Rafa's big win off the clay? We know one thing: New York is ready for Rafa!

FASHION FIX: Lacoste previews the Stealth Fall 2007 sneaker collection

Frenchie sportswear label Lacoste is releasing the Missouri 85, a high performance tennis shoe, and one of the first by Lacoste for all-terrain. This style is part of the larger Stealth Fall 2007 Collection, which also includes the Ravan 3 (we'll cover that style later.)

Seen on both hard and clay courts in the mid 80's, they now feature a premium leather and suede mix. Additionally, they come in 4 colorways.

We like the rugged sportiness of the shoe, though we probably wouldn't go with this particular color.

Is this a BIG HIT or BAD MISS for Lacoste? Tell us!

FASHION FIX: Ted Baker celebrates tennis with a Wimbledon-inspired sneaker

Though our beloved Wimbledon has come and gone, British fashion brand Ted Baker pays homage to the prestigious Grand Slam tournament with the Men's Grip Basket Woven Fashion Sneaker.

These kicks showcase Ted Baker's innovative style, with a basketweave leather upper, signature script detailing, and a quirky grass print insole. Moreover, the sneaker features rubber traction outsoles, cleverly detailed with tennis balls, delivering a reliable grip. Colors include dark brown (pictured) and black.