As the tennis world took notice of Roger Federer’s Vapor RF x AM95 “Neon” he wore during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Center in California, a few other Nike athletes were showing off a brand-new sneaker from the brand.
Earlier in the 2018 tennis season, athletes including Elina Svitolina, Maria Sakkari and Frances Tiafoe have all donned a new-look performance sneaker from the Swoosh, but when Americans Sloane Stephens and Jack Sock adopted the sneaker for Indian Wells, it took a step up in the world of publicity.
A Nike spokesperson confirmed with Footwear News that what we’re seeing on the feet of these international tennis stars is the NikeCourt Air Zoom Zero, a new silhouette that will hit retail this summer. The model features full-length Zoom Air for the first time in a NikeCourt model.
Svitolina already won both the Brisbane International in January and the Dubai Tennis Championships in February in black with white Swoosh branding across the forefoot. And Tiafoe won Delray Beach Open in February in the Air Zoom Zero. Nike went so far as to give Tiafoe a custom version of the unreleased sneaker for him to wear at Indian Wells.
Watch on FN
Stephens and Sock both started testing the shoe in Indian Wells, donning a slightly different cosmetic version than previously seen, as the newer look eliminates the “NikeCourt” across the heel.
Nike has long embraced Zoom Air in its tennis line, with the Air Zoom Vapor 10, Air Zoom Ultra Rct, Air Zoom Resistance and Zoom Cage 3 all currently featuring the Zoom Air unit. The Zoom Zero takes that love of Zoom Air full-foot.
Want more?
Nike Uses Free Technology on a Metcon Training Sneaker for the First Time Ever
Nike and Antihero Deliver a Pair of Collabs Using Iconic Skate Sneakers
