When Roger Federer revealed the brand-new NikeCourt Air Zoom Vapor 10 ahead of the 2018 Australian Open, we knew it was just a matter of time until the performance tennis model took on the look of an iconic Nike or Jordan design.
We didn’t have to wait long, as the Vapor RF x AM95 “Neon” debuted on Federer’s Instagram account before his charity “Match for Africa” in California ahead of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. But that wasn’t all, as the Vapor RF x AM95 “Greedy” also revealed its design on Nike’s website, giving Federer two Air Max 95 models.
With the “Neon” design, the sneaker stays in the construction of the new Vapor performance model’s outsole, but fills the upper with neon and anatomically inspired suede based off the original Air Max 95, what Nike calls a “fitting tribute to the top athlete in tennis just in time for Air Max Day.” The sneaker hits retail on Friday for $180.
The “Greedy” colorway changes things up by offering mismatched colors — along with the same suede from the “Neon”— atop the Vapor outsole, meant to honor Federer’s love for Air Max using colors inspired by the courts where the tennis great continues to collect titles.
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Ever since Federer hit the 2014 U.S. Open in a Vapor 9 x AJ3, and then again in 2017 with the Vapor 9.5 x AJ3, we knew the brand-new Vapor model — worn by more tennis players than any other model on tour — would offer up something interesting in terms of collaborations. Federer’s embrace of the Air Max 95 may signify just the first we’ll see this year with key events — the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, for example — still on the calendar.
