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Video: Be Faster with adidas miCoach and Andy Murray. Turn your smartphone into a personal fitness coach.

So you want to be faster on court? The answer is fitness training. The amount of off-court work ATP and WTA tennis players are doing has expanded dramatically; some players devote more time to fitness than actually hitting balls.

The problem? Maintaining a regime and paying for a personal coach. Most players of paying ability travel with fitness coaches who insure their athletes stay strong, fit and resilient to injury. Most of us can't afford this. adidas miCoach (pronounced My Coach) has a solution.

miCoach is a FREE downloadable app for iOSdevices (iPhones etc) and Blackberrys using GPS for real-time pace-based coaching. adidas says that Andy Murray uses miCoach to supplement his live personal training.

Pick one of the training programs geared for your sport (tennis in our case) and the app will offer you real-time audible coaching, keeping track of your activity and reporting back to miCoach online. Individual workouts are set based upon your weight, age, height and degree of fitness (be honest for safety's sake). You can track your workout online and map your progress and goals. The app doesn't yell at you to get up and going but it is motivating to see results if you stick to it.

Visit miCoach for more info and sign up. You can download the app right to your phone.

10 minutes with Ana Ivanovic. On Food, Fitness and Fashion for Tennis.

I had a chance to sit down with Ana Ivanovic at the adidas Barricade party. Honestly it was as comfortable as chatting with an old friend. As I'm always trying to grab some game plan from the pros we talked food, fitness and tennis fashion:

What do you eat to keep yourself in such great shape?
I try to eat VERY healthy - a lot of beef, chicken and seafood combined with veggies and rice. I'm not a big fan of pasta especially before a match. It makes me feel really full and slow so I avoid it.

What's your go-to match day breakfast?
An egg white omelet with turkey breast, toast and a cup of coffee. During a match day, bananas, power bars and power gels are helpful.

What kinds of drills do you do for fitness?
I do a lot of footwork drills, long distance running, interval training, but not a lot of weight lifting. I don't want to get bulky. My trainer mixes things up to keep it interesting for me and to keep my body from becoming too comfortable with any one exercise.

How important is massage to your fitness?
Very. I get massages every day during training and during tournaments. It's very important to release the stresses that build up with all the hard work.

What do you like to wear on court?
I like outfits that are close fitting up top and loose from the waist down.

Do you have a say in what adidas gives you to wear?
I don't come up with the designs but do offer suggestions that make the outfits more to my liking. I might ask for a neckline change from one season to the next for example.

Do you have a favorite tennis outfit from the past? 2008 first in blue and then in orange (a good winning year).

 


Thanks Ana and good luck at the Open!

For a look at what Ana is wearing this year click here.

Say Happy Birthday to the adidas Barricade and You Might Win A Pair! adidas A-Listers Celebrate in NYC.

The 10th anniversary of the Barricade hit the Big Apple. In town for the event last night were Justine Henin, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Ana Ivanovic and Andy Murray.

Soooo, make a wish and blow out the candles! Tell us what shoe you want. adidas is giving away a pair of men's Barricade 6.0's and women's adilibria's (pictured below and valued at $125 each) here on Tennisidentity.com.

All you need to do is leave a birthday/anniversary greeting below this post, the post on Facebook or RT on Twitter. Let us know whether you want the men's 6.0 or women's adilibria. The contest kicks off today and ends the final day of the US Open, Sunday September 12 at 6 pm, EST.*

*US addresses only please. Choice of shoe color is limited by availability in your size. Two entries pp possible using different vehicles (Here on the site, Facebook, Twitter).

Here, Anna watches Andy make off with the toe of the shoe.

Some video of the event is available here and here at DownTheLine.

Maria Kirilenko Wins the all Russian, all adidas Battle at Pilot Pen.

Maria Kirilenko took it to Dinara Safina today in finally sunny New Haven. The stands were packed for this match-up of adidas adorned Russian beauties (there was a noticeable number of young men in attendance for this one). It was tough to tell who would win early on. 

Maria has really turned the power on recently and is looking the part in the adidas Barricade line she is now wearing.

This is a great cut for her; very athletic but pretty, not girlie though. I love the flattering scoop neck and close fitting body. Nothing to get in the way here. The top is the Fall Barricade Cap-Sleeve Top in white with black and radiant red accents, $50. The skort is the Fall Barricade Skort in the same colors, $45.

Her visor is the women's grand slam visor, $15.00.

I need this outfit.

The group also comes in black, university blue and radiant red but I like the white the best.

Find it all at Tennis-Warehouse and select adidas retailers nationwide.

Kirilenko faces another fellow Russian, Nadia Petrova, Friday.

Melanie Oudin to Wear Her COURAGE on Her Feet At the US Open.

Melanie Oudin will wear the word COURAGE on her custom mi adidas footwear at the 2010 US Open (click on the image to blow it up). Her 2009 pair, imprinted BELIEVE, took her to the US Open quarterfinals.

“The reason I chose the word COURAGE is because in order to believe you have to have the courage to do so,” said Oudin.  “Courage to me means playing with no fear and going for it no matter what.  You can believe in yourself so much but unless you have the courage to go on the court and put yourself on the line every time you won't make it. You need courage and belief to make it to the top.”  Totally agree. You've obviously got a lot more than me my friend.

Make a pair of Barricade 6.0s like Oudin's (acid buzz, new navy, collegiate purple and black/white) or design your own at mi adidas, $150.00. Men you can go for your own design but this one's not bad for you either.

Remember with custom you can get a different size and width for each foot so make the most of the purchase if you need it. You can even choose sole density.

Andy Murray is first player in 15 years to win 2 consecutive titles in Canada. Last few days to register to win a hit with Murray in Miami.

Both the shirt and racquet are not new for Andy Murray but they helped him to a second con- secutive win Sunday in Toronto. On his way he defeated both world #1 Rafael Nadal and #3 Roger Federer. It was his first finals victory against Federer. 4th time's a charm in this case.

His weapon of choice is the HEAD Youtek Radical Pro,$210*

*that list price has come down - you can find it for $189 now

If you want to try and win a hit with the guy click on over to adidas and enter your name to win a day's training with Andy Murray in Miami. Contest ends 8/19/10.

Murray's shirt is the adidas Mens  Competition Traditional Polo $58 USD. It also comes in white with accents of signal blue. I prefer this one though, signal blue with acid buzz - love that name.

Here's what he had to say about his win and the upcoming US Open:

Toronto final Murray pleased to win title but still has US Open coming up

Ana Ivanovic's 2010 US Open Tennis Dress Revealed. C'mon girl! Let's Go.

AnaIvanovic.com recently announced Ivanovic's US Open 2010 tennis dress with a very meek looking shot of Ana attempting a fist (see below). Perhaps she had the flu during the shoot.

I prefer the shot at left from the just finished Bank of the West Classic which illustrates the fact that the woman still has some mojo. In it she wears the white version of the US Open dress -- the one she wore at Wimbledon.

Both are the Fall 2010 adidas adilibria dress, $70, which comes in the new radiant pink with ultra beauty and white and white with Ultra Beauty.

 Click on the inset shot for detail. This is a really flattering, lightweight dress with loads of cooling detail. The color is lovely.

The adilibria collection offers leggings to go with this dress, $30; nice on a cool fall morning but a look you have to be careful of if your legs are more amply proportioned. The coordinating jacket is $75.

I can barely stand putting up this shot of Ana in her newest frock but in the interest of giving you the whole picture, here you go:

Caroline Wozniacki's Got A New Dress For Fall 2010. It's About Time.

Caroline Wozniacki has a few new items to choose from. If I'm excited she must be ecstatic. I am hugely sick of my team uniform after two months and how long did she wear that last one? Let's talk fresh.

Pictured left and inset below is the new lingerie inspired climalite dress from adidas by Stella McCartney. This is the new version of the Tennis Performance Dress and it comes in white and dark slate for $120 USD.

The neon yellow you seen peeking through the dress left is the Tennis Performance Bra Top by adidas by Stella McCartney.  It has coordinating hot pants.Both pieces also come in white.

The dress is fully lined and solid in color with mesh at the top and a racer-back. I love the bandage like panel detail in front and back. It's a real svelte-making design.

The separates, top and skort, are the blouson like Tennis Performance Tank, $75 and Tennis Performance Skirt, $85.

The line offers a Core Woven Jacket, $175; and $130 Chalcedon Tennis Shoes

Find it all soon at Tennis-Warehouse as well. Gotta get me that white dress NOW.

For those Perennially Pink, Freshness for Your Tennis Game.

Pink, the color of cotton candy, peonies and bubble gum, in all variations is much loved in women's tennis apparel. With its feminine feel and ever flattering tone, built into performance wear it says girl power like nothing else. No matter what the street fashion barometer the color is on court in a wide variety of hues, as solid or accent, especially in team wear. Fall 2010 is no exception.

Bolle's high performance fall Pink Fusion line (above) is hitting stores now with this perennial favorite, a bold,energetic version contrasted with a very bright white.Take note: the high performance group is closer fitting than the company's more fashion oriented tennis line. I like the silhouette carving lines on the dress (racer back and built in bra) and the surprise pop of white in the pleats of the skort. Pretty. A fresh 22 possibilities in the group for getting your pink on.

adidas has a new Barricade 6.0 out  in a pink they call Beauty, $109.00. This shoe is said to run a bit big so order a half size down. Narrow feet do not do well in this shoe.

Also in hot pink is the Roxy Team Competition Dress, a slimming solid color line that forgives a less than perfect mid section with a hip sitting gathered waistline, $60. 

Grab the headband to go with it, $10.

adidas has pink in their adilibria fall collection as well. This one is called radiant pink -- see below right. The cap-sleeve top is feminine yet totally performance oriented. Look for it on Ana Ivanovic in the coming months.  

Nike has a big line of pink (Voltage Cherry) out as well for fall. Pictured left is the Women's Fall Accuracy Top with 3/4 sleeves, perfect for a chillier day.

Team the group with the new Nike Lunar Speed 2 , also in the cherry hue, $115. Narrow feet are happy in Nike.

Jerdog has a fun pink floral out as well if you like a print. At left is their Women's English Breeze Pleats Skort, $49. Pair it with the matching top or coordinating solid.

Think pink. You will not be alone.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's Style for Paris 2010. Plus a look at adidas' special Roland Garros apparel.

Take a look at what Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has to say about Roland Garros and what he will be wearing on the red clay.

I particularly like the Competition Seamless Tee, $52 in core orange with accents of black. All clima-cool. Looks gorgeous against his skin tone (as he himself notes -- although he doesn't use that word). The white polo is the Roland Garros Traditional Polo, $50 in white. I actually like it better in the dark Legend Ink with orange stripes, pictured left, much cooler looking don't you think?

Tsonga has on solid black Competition shorts in the video but adidas has also introduced a line of Roland Garros logo'd shorts, $40. They go with the Roland Garros shirts they also have out. I like mixing it up rather than the unified look but that's me.

His shoes are the core orange and silver CC Feather IV, $110, complete with a Roland Garros logo on the heel.

Available online at adidas Tennis and Tennis-Warehouse.

adidas Celebrates the 10th Anniversary of its Iconic Barricade with the New 6.0.

Since the launch of the first adidas Barricade in 2000, adidas has sold over 3.5 million pairs. In honor of the shoe's 10th anniversary, adidas is launching the Barricade 6.0. "[It] is even lighter without compromising on stability, comfort and design," says Graham Williamson, adidas Vice President Business Unit Court Sports.

Billed as an all-court tennis shoe, the 6.0 features the Barricade unique "claws" technology for forefoot stability during extreme direction changes or lateral movements. You can see the claws on the outside upper of every Barricade ever made (see inset image of the V, right). On the 6.0 they are visually linked with the three stripes.  The shoe also features a Torsion system for optimal surface adaptation, adiPRENE+ for forefoot cushioning, and adiWEAR for durability. Quickie poll results on Tennisidentity's Facebook page concur, the Barricade is well loved.

The women’s model of the Barricade 6.0 (left in gray and white) is specifically developed for the different needs of female athletes. adidas adjusted the claw stability construction for more forefoot flexibility and shaved off weight without compromising on durability or stability.

Look for the 6.0 now on Justine Henin, Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The blue Andy Murray limited edition 6.0  (pictured top right ) will pre-launch at select retailers from April 24. Only 6,000 pairs will be sold.

We tennis mortals will need to wait until July to buy the basic 6.0. First in the line will be a white and black version for men and white (top, left) and gray for women. The full 6.0 range will retail globally in July, $125 USD. More colors will roll out through fall/winter.

Find it soon at adidas Tennis Footwear and Apparel,  Tennis-Warehouse and your local tennis retailer.

On Acid Buzz and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. More spring/summer adidas for men.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is on a roll at the Australian. Next round he meets the big man on campus, RF. Keep it up dude.

Pictured here Tsonga wears his adidas' spring/summer 2010 kit: the Competition Seamless Tee in acid buzz, $52 (it also comes in teal and white) and Competition Bermuda Shorts in white, $45. Both are made with Climacool/Formotion. His shoes are the Barricade V, $110.  Size up on the shirt if you like a loose fit.

Tsonga's racquet at the AO? The Babolat Aeropro Drive. (not pictured here).

This is one of my men's style favs at the tourney. Clean and simple with just the right amount of jazz -- no fuss, made to move. Tsonga is working it nicely.

Find it at: adidas Tennis and Tennis-Warehouse.

Rad Plaid. Fernando Verdasco at the Australian Open. New spring summer adidas tennis.

Tennis traditionals, please weigh in below on Fernando Verdasco's newest shirt. It's the adidas Edge Theme Polo, $65, in white and signal green. He's also been wearing it in the reverse, black with signal green. I kind of prefer that combo myself. Plaid has been big in golf for a while and it's moved into tennis, in this case x 10. Tennis saw a fairly traditional take on the print in 2009. It looks to be sticking around for another year for those of you who like to stay au courant.  Rafa is currently wearing plaid shorts by Nike. K-Swiss and Fila have more rolling in too. Oh yeah, in case you don't like the buttoned up effect of a polo this shirt also comes as a crew. Take a look right. Nice ehh?

The now faux-hawkless Verdasco is also wearing the Mens Edge Bermuda Shorts, $55. They've got a signal green band at the top (also available in black with green), 9" inseam, $55. His tennis shoes are the adidas CC Genius II white/green buzz, $120.

Verdasco's racquet? Technibibre TFight 320 VO2 Max, $179.00.

Find Verdasco's look online at adidas Tennis and Tennis Warehouse.

Andy Murray Debuts 2010 Spring/Summer adidas Competition Line for Men at The Hopman Cup.

Andy Murray made his adidas debut today representing Great Britain at the Hopman Cup in Perth Australia. Looks good in the stripes; switch approved. Pictured above he wears the new adidas apparel Competition line and the Barricade V ($120 USD) in signal blue, white and acid buzz (a color that reminds me of Rafa's electrolime bandana last year)

The Competition Polo ($58) and Bermuda shorts ($45) feature state-of-the-art adidas trade-marked Climacool and Formotion technologies that help keep you cool and comfortable. The polo also comes in white with blue accents but I like the buzzed combo best.

Murray's stick? The HEAD YOUTEK Radical, msrp $210.

Check out some studio video footage of Andy HERE.

Find the looks soon at adidas and Tennis-Warehouse. Learn more about the racquet at HEAD.

adidas Offers Up the CYD Reflex. New Tennis Training Shoe for 2010.

As training for tennis grows in importance so does training apparel. According to Gil Reyes, conditioning coach of the adidas Player Development Program, "Tennis players spend 70% of their time training and preparing for their next tournament...wearing the right training footwear is vital for future on-court success." According to Reyes, the CYD Reflex shoes are designed to contribute to the development of strong legs that will get you in perfect position, keeping good balance point after point at any phase of the game. Dinara Safina reinforces the concept in the video above.

Normal running and gym shoes are not designed to withstand or support the sudden movements required in tennis training and so the CYD Reflex features Speedcut, an adidas technology designed to reduce the forefoot strain of extreme side-to-side movements so players can maintain speed and performance while reducing the risk of injury. The shoes are built with adiTUFF to withstand abrasion by tough-on-footwear hard courts. The Torsion® System stabilizing technology gives the overarching support of the CYD Reflex, providing the midfoot with enhanced control, support and fit to adapt to whatever surface you are training or hitting on. It's a little like a seat-belt for your foot.

The breathable new shoes, designed for running and drills will ultimately save your tennis shoes for game day and keep your body and feet much happier during training.

The CYD Reflex retails for $100 USD and comes in four different colors for both men and women. White with black stripes and acid buzz (pictured above) or teal trimming for men and white with orange or black stripes and magenta detailing for women. A line of training apparel will also compliment the shoe.

Shop adidas Tennis

Fernando Verdasco Dons New Shirt and Shoes to Channel Spanish National Football Team Passion at Davis Cup.

Fernando Verdasco is wearing the new adidas jersey of the Spanish National Football Team this weekend as Spain defends its Davis Cup title against the Czech Republic in Barcelona. Watch the gift opening video here on facebook. Welcome to the cult Nando. Verdasco is the only tennis player wearing the emotion laden football jersey at the event.

The soccer jersey trend has hit the big time although  adidas had to adapt the football jersey to comply with the International Tennis Federation regulations.

On Verdasco's feet are personalized mi adidas Barricade V shoes that also reflect the colors of his country. Rave red upper, neon yellow laces, three whte stripes and silver claws with Spanish flag and nickname "Tabasco" (yes, I agree he is hot) on the heel.

The shirt, the Men's Spain Home Jersey 2010, $70 USD is available at adidas in sport apparel, shirts. The shoes? You just have to create them ($140 ) at mi adidas. Now all you need is red clay.

New Racquets in Hand, Bryan Brothers Get 2009 #1 Doubles Ranking with ATP Finals Win.

Bob and Mike Bryan end 2009 ranked the number #1 doubles team in the world. Just this past Sunday they captured the needed ATP World Tour doubles title to secure their top status with a win against finalists, Max Mirnyi and Andy Ram.

A late-season racquet switch to the brand new Prince EXO³ Ignite Team 95 (pictured here in Bob's hands) proved to benefit their game in the year's final month.

"To come full circle, do it in the last tournament, last match with so much riding on this one is huge,"said Mike. "We are feeling really great at the moment and attribute a big part of our most recent success, and achieving this goal, to our switch to the Ignite...[it allows] us to retain our power on serves and ground strokes, but carve out mid-court angles and shots at net. It is a more all-court frame -- something that suits our game and was exactly what we were looking for."

The 12.2 oz. advanced level racquet has a SRP $210 USD. Find a retailer at Prince or test drive/buy at Tennis-Warehouse. Bob's adidas shirt? It's from the US Open. Learn more here. His overgrip? Tournagrip.

   

adidas Tennis Reveals Ana Ivanovic's "Green" 2010 adilibria Dress for the Australian and French Opens.

adidas has revealed  Ana Ivanovic's first looks for 2010. The 22 year old Serbian will step onto the Southern Hemisphere courts wearing a good-for-the-earth core yellow, dropped waist dress with black trim. This will be her outfit for the Australian Open. Watch her chat about the style above.

The dress is made of 100% recycled PES polyester and is part of adidas' sustainable Better Place range. ClimaCool moisture management is built into the back and neck area. The fabric is familiar, soft and luxurious adidas as we like. This particular dress is fitted at the waist, a lengthening cut with no fussy frills. The striking pinking shear edged accents add the only whimsy. The dress does not offer a built in bra. A separate bra top and boy short are available and complement the black accents in the dress.

Her shoes? Ana will wear the Barricade V shoe in phantom black and core yellow.

Ivanovic plans to wear the same dress in red with orange accents in Paris at the French Open. You will see it in the video.

In store soon, dress $75 USD, shoes $120. Shop adidas or Tennis-Warehouse.

Novak Djokovic wins the China Open. His Beijing gear and style.

Congratulations to Novak Djokovic who just claimed his third title of the year at the China Open in Beijing. Djokovic plays with the HEAD YOUTEK Speed Pro.

Pictured left, trophy overhead, he's sporting the adidas  competition warm up top, $85 USD. He mixed things up a bit and broke out the orange Fall Edge Djokovic Top, $65 in his final match against Marin Cilic. Great to see him win but I really prefer the darker (pure steel inset) shirt he wore at the U.S. Open. It's my personal fly favorite on N.D. at the moment. 

Orange or grey, you can combine either of the shirts with the adidas Fall Edge 10" short in pure steel and the CC Genius Novak shoe, $120, for some serious adi hotness.

Find Djokovic's gear at: Tennis-Warehouse and adidas Tennis . HEAD has more info on the racquet.

Shuai Peng Rises to the Occasion in China.

With the home crowd behind her every step of the way,  unseeded Shuai Peng has so far stopped the rise of both Jelena Jankovic AND Tokyo champion, Maria Sharapova at the China Open

Peng has been wearing the adidas fall adilibria tank in light purple with cobalt, $55 and the adilibria skort in cobalt with night purple, $50. The two pieces are loaded with un-fussy feminine detail but are still solidly athletic. The top is close fitting with built-in shelf bra and blousey overlayer of jersey. The skort has a delicately ribbed mesh overlay, lightweight and made of ClimaCool (as is the top). The outfit is part of the group that included Ana Ivanovic's recent dresses.

I saw (and coveted) these pieces in adidas' flagship in NYC earlier this year. The styling is a tad Stella but the color combo far more bright.

On Peng's feet, the coordinating adidas Barricade V white and purple (whimsical graphic on the shoe), $120.00. Her racquet is the HEAD MicroGEL Extreme with Teflon polymer.

Peng faces Nadia Petrova next.

Find her look at adidas Tennis or  Tennis-Warehouse.

Image: Feng Li/Getty Images -- Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.

Melanie Oudin On the Rise. Her Game and Gear.

 

17 year old Oudin's impressive run at the U.S. Open was fueled by a whole lotta desire, talent and composure. Her new career high? 44 in the world. Can't wait to see what this one does next.

Her gear? The Wilson [K]Blade Tour, $210 unstrung. Her string choice is Wilson's [K] Gut 17, $22 per package.  She's been using Wilson since age 12. Her apparel through the tourney, the light purple adidas Women's fall Competition Tank, $60 and the Competition skort in night purple, $50. The top has a spray of  a dark purple graphic on the left side. All ClimaCool athletic tennis simplicity.

Oudin's shoes? I heard the naysayers but they grew on you didn't they? You started to BELIEVE too. Fashion is all about wearing about makes you feel good.

Buy or learn more at Tennis-Warehouse, Wilson or adidas .

Sam Querrey and Melanie Oudin. Winning Feet of Color.

 

Americans Melanie Oudin and Sam Querrey will showcase their tennis AND artistic talents at the U.S. Open this year. Pictured top is Oudin's one-of-a-kind Barricade V design and bottom, Querrey's. Both players designed their new foot candy online at miadidas.

 

Oudins' shoe says "BELIEVE" on the heel, Querrey's "Sam Querrey." There are a myriad of possible color combinations on the miadidas site -- team players (with big wallets - they are $140 each) may want to design a custom team shoe. You can add a country flag to the tongue. So cool and really easy to do.

TMOa (the men of adidas) US Open 2009 -- Style Report

 Hel-lo New York, adidas is serving up a whole lotta handsome at the U.S. Open. Here's what Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will be wearing.  Love the sophisticated color combos.

 Left, Djokovic wears the new for fall Men's Edge Tee, pure steel, with full mesh panels along the back and sides for optimal cooling and ventilation. You can see a glimpse of Djokovic's signature falcon on his left shoulder, $65. His shorts are the Men's Edge Bermuda, $55 and tennis shoes, the steel Climacool Genius, $150. Bye-bye tropical blue. This is Manhattan.

Verdasco will be wearing the Men's Edge zip front tee with clean front graphic and tonal burnout mesh along the back and underarms for ventilation, $55, He will also wear the Men's Edge Bermuda. His footwear? The Barricade V, $120.

Tsonga will be decked out in the black with lead Men's Competition Theme crew with comfy ForMotion technology. ForMotion uses seam placement for enhanced fit and performance in motion, $55.

Tsonga's shorts, the Bermudas again, and shoe, same as Verdasco, the Barricade V. Wonder if he'll do another custom miadidas to go with this look.

Learn more or buy at adidas and Tennis-Warehouse .

Dinara Safina Secures Spot in 2009 Sony Ericsson Championships. Her U.S. Open Style Revealed.

Congratulations to current womens world #1, Dinara Safina, the first to secure a spot at this year's prestigious Sony Ericsson Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Pictured right Safina wears her look for the 2009 U.S. Open, the adidas women's competition tank  and skort. The medium purple top includes close fitting FORMOTION technology which supports muscles; all CLIMACOOL stretch fabric, tennis fashion simplicity with a light graphic on the side -- look closely and you'll see it, $60 USD.

The white skort is designed with clean and simple lines, classic cross over front style, enhanced again with the graphic on the shirt, $45.

On her feet Safina wears the new white and purple  ClimaCool Divine II, $100. 

Learn more or buy at adidas and Tennis-Warehouse .

Ana Ivanovic's 2009 U.S. Open adidas Style Revealed

Ana Ivanovic will wear this lilac, "medium purple" adilibria dress for daytime matches at the U.S. Open; the dark purple version below will be for night.

This is the same dress Ivanovic wore at Wimbledon, this time jazzed up with gorgeous color and a playful print (see inset) on the back. The tiered ruffled layers are made of an easy- to-move-in mesh overlay that's all CLIMACool comfort, $75.00 USD. You can't see it here but the fabric is a fine herringbone weave -- really elegant. A shelf bra is built in. You may need more support if you are bigger than a B cup.

Complimenting the dress is the white with purple Barricade V adilibria, a perfect match with its scattered triangles print.

The shoe is constructed with adiPRENE, forefront propulsion and a high impact cushion design, $120. This is a lighter shoe than the IV. 

Ivanovic's racquet? She will be using the Yonex RQiS 1Tour XL 95 HG, $230 USD.

Learn more or buy at adidas , Tennis-Warehouse and Yonex.

 If you are in NYC for the Open check out the huge adidas Sport Performance Store at 610 Broadway. If you love adidas, plan on spending some solid time there. It is beautiful.

Bob and Mike Bryan Sign Exclusive Contract With Luxilon String.

 

Luxilon today announced the signing of Bob and Mike Bryan, the world's number-one doubles team and two of the most successful players on the ATP tour. The 31 year old twins will now use Luxilon Big Banger ALU Power Rough string exclusively.

“Everyone at Luxilon is thrilled to have Mike and Bob on our team,” Nico Van Malderen, President of Luxilon said. “Luxilon has proven to be a key ingredient for Tour players’ success and we are proud to offer the #1 doubles team a superior product.”

The 16 gauge Big Banger ALU Power Rough, $15.75 USD  is a great choice for a string breaker but is not as resistant to breakage as the Big Banger original 130. The monofilament construction of the string enhances feel and control over the ball and the rough texture makes it particularly spin friendly.

It's difficult to determine what string most players are using from a distance but Luxilon is said to be one of the more popular brands on the tour. Roger Federer, for example, used Luxilon at Wimbledon.

The Bryan brothers use: the Prince O³ Speedport Black racquet, Tourna Grip original over grip and wear adidas. Pictured here they are in the adidas Men's Summer Competition Crew, $39.99 and Summer Competition short, $37.99.

Learn more or find the gear at: Luxilon, Prince,  adidas and Tennis-Warehouse.

Fall/Winter 2009 adidas by Stella McCartney. Pretty, Pretty Performance, May I Have It Please?

Tennistas, here are the details on Fall/Winter 09 adidas by Stella McCartney. Pictured left is the smoked pink Tennis Performance Dress ($130 USD) and visor (not available). This is what the new face of the line, Caroline Wozniacki, will wear at the U.S Open over the line's tennis performance bra ($55) and hot pant ($50). The dress is short but super flattering with its layered scoop neck, dropped waist and flirty tiers of ruffles.

Below right, the CU Tennis Image jacket ($175) and woven pant in dark grape (also comes in light onix/grey). Both pieces have a bit of a sheen to them.

Wozniacki will also wear the Skynde Tennis Shoe in Seed Pearl, pictured bottom, in dark grape and white ($175). This shoe is based on the Barricade V. The Stella version is a dash more elegant and features patent leather stripes, a pearlized finish and an understated gunmetal grey name plate on the heel indicating the designer brand.

I originally saw adidas by Stella McCartney as a country club tennis brand -- you know, for the ladies who play, lunch and shop -- but I'm seeing more and more of the line seeping into high-level junior tournaments as fashion savvy teen girls with a yen to turn heads, snap it up and combine it with basics, going for a stand out on-court look. The line after all is truly designed for high-performance.

Although the stick thin model above would not last a set, believe me, this stuff looks powerful good on healthy, fit women. It's a nice contrast actually, the feminine cuts on super healthy, impressive hitters. Wozniacki will be a good ambassador.

Above is the new tennis performance polo ($68) and skirt ($100). The skirt color is light onix. I've checked them all out; if you like the look, you'll love it at play; gorgeous, lightweight and so unique.

New adidas by Stella McCartney hits retail in August 2009. It's also available in stores at Lane Crawford, Isetan, Harrods, Holt Renfrew, Nordstrom and of course adidas sport performance stores or through adidas and Tennis-Warehouse.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark Selected to Wear adidas by Stella McCartney.

 

adidas announced today that Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark will wear fall/winter collection adidas by Stella McCartney beginning at the U.S. Open. Until today Maria Kirilenko was the only WTA tennis athlete allowed to wear the line as a sponsored player. Kirilenko will no longer wear the line.

 Wozniacki, currently ranked No. 9 on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, has been selected to become the exclusive new face of the tennis line and will be playing in apparel and footwear from the distinctive sport performance collection.

“For me it is essential to wear products that combine performance and style," said Wozniacki. "I need to have breathable apparel and footwear that is lightweight, stable and well cushioned. With the adidas by Stella McCartney tennis line I feel like I have everything any fashionable female tennis player always dreams about: cutting-edge adidas technologies combined with Stella’s unique designs that actually perform. I always play better when I feel good, that is very important to me so I’m really excited about getting out on court in it!”

Stella McCartney comments “It’s very rare for a fashion designer to dress one of the top 10 players in the world. I couldn't be more thrilled and happy to be given that opportunity. Let’s hope this will enhance her performance!!”

Caroline will be wearing key styles from the new fall/winter 2009 tennis collection including the Performance Dress, the Performance Hot Pant and Bra in smoked pink and the Tennis Image Jacket in dark grape (pictured above). She will also wear the Skynde tennis shoe, in seed pearl, dark grape and white, which is built on the renowned adidas Barricade V tooling.

The fall/winter 09 adidas by Stella McCartney tennis collection hits retail in August. Prices range from $175 for the Skynde shoe, $130.00 for the Performance Dress and $175.00 for the Tennis Image Jacket.

Stay tuned for an overview of my favs including a run down of the details on what Wozniacki will be wearing. Love it all -- but that's not unusual.

Note: new post now up: For more details on the line, click HERE. 

The single(s) men of adidas hit England. Win Djokovic's Wimbledon Shirt and Shorts Here!

 

Back to basics for these guys. Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga are decked in what I call Wimbledon appropriate brights -- bright whites that absolutely sing summer. Touches of red and black are strategically used to accentuate the adidas brand. If you've worn adidas, you know the feel of these pieces, lightweight, breathable and great fit.

Pictured here top left, Tsonga wears the adidas Men's Competition Tee, $50 USD and Competition Bermuda, $55; Right, Djokovic wears the Men's Edge Top, $65 and Men's Edge Bermuda, $55; bottom, Verdasco wears the Men's Edge Tee with zip, $55 and the Edge Bermuda, $55.

On  their feet: Tsonga wears the new adidas CC Feather grass. Djokovic and Verdasco's shoes are custom with the CC Feather sole.

All pieces, except custom of course, are available at retail.

Register to win Novak Djokovic's Wimbledon shirt and shorts simply by leaving a comment below. Individual U.S. addresses only please. Deadline Thursday, July 2 at 9:00 AM EST. Winner will be drawn at random.

Find the above Wimbledon styles at adidas and Tennis-Warehouse.

Ana Ivanovic, Winsome at Wimbledon. Win Her New adidas Dress Here!

 

Finally, time for a change! Ana Ivanovic stepped out at Wimbledon wearing the new adidas women's adilibria Wimbledon dress. This is a lightweight, form fitted dress in bright white with touches of the cherry red adidas athletes are sporting this year at All England. It retails for $75 USD and yes Ivanovic's entire Wimbledon ensemble will be available at retail.

Ivanovic clearly loves the artistry that asymmetrical provides; the three angled layers of scalloped stretch tulle add feminine swing and flair to an otherwise straightforward dress. You will no doubt recall the asymmetrical dress she had been wearing since last year. This one is easy all over flattering, slimming with great coverage -- no tugging. All ClimaCool.

Her shoes are the red and white  Barricade V, $105 updated with a playful graphic medley of  triangles, a pattern that picks up the splashes of color on the dress, visor and wrist bands. adidas makes a mid-weight summer competition warm up jacket, $80, that would look awesome over this dress. It also has a touch of the triangle graphic.

Pristine, beautiful, and possibly yours! We're giving away one adilibria Wimbledon dress to someone lucky!  Enter to win by leaving a comment below. Be sure to note your email in the correct field (it will not be displayed). Contest ends Wednesday, July 1 at 9 AM EST. Individuals with U.S. addresses only please.

Buy Ana's look at adidas or Tennis-Warehouse.

With Weapon Underfoot. Tennis Shoes for Grass Court Play.

You can't see it but when playing on grass, the pros have a key weapon hidden underfoot. Grass court specific shoes have pegged or dimpled soles that provide extra grip for the player's game and protection for the hallowed courts. Hard court or clay specific tennis shoes can be slippery on grass and bad for the surface itself.

Here is what's new on the market -- in the U.K. only -- so U.S. residents, if you want them, call a friend across the pond. There just aren't enough grass courts in the U.S. to make it worth selling them here.

 

Above is the new adidas CC Feather IV Grass shoe, £80 (app. $130 USD). Developed with the London 2012 Olympic games in mind, the outsole features an innovative dimple pattern with rubbery spikes. The spikes grip but give a flat push off area ensuring quick directional change ability for players.

Tim  Henman, reports that he  "found [the shoes] provided amazing grip and support on both dry and damp surfaces..." Dinara Safina, Novak Djokovic, Fernando Verdasco, Marat Safin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga will all wear new adidas for grass at Wimbledon (Novak's will be custom).

Fila has also released a great looking grass court version of their new new-to-market Fila Alfa Wimbledon line (above). Decked out in its namesake's  purple and green the Fila Alfa Wimbledon Grass Court (unisex) is another "dimpled sole" option. Added-value, built-in superaction inserts increase the responsiveness of this shoe, £77 (app $126 USD).

Buy the adidas shoe in the U.K. at: Tennis Nuts, Wigmore and ProDirect. Here's a little video.

The Fila Alpha Wimbledon is online at Shop Wimbledon.

For a pro's take on grass court shoes check out this clip on Travis Parrot's blog. Parrot is U.S. ATP Tour player (currently #25 in dubs). Nike unfortunately only makes their grass-court specific shoe for the pros.

Prince players Monfils, Sharapova and Bryan bring it on with raw determination and style.

True to their racquet sponsor's motto, Gael Monfils, Maria Sharapova and the brothers Bryan have been ruling the courts at Roland Garros. Monfils, fueled by Parisian passion, has stepped out with an unbelievable game; determination to chart top again has had Sharapova fighting (unfortunately just went down to Cibulkova); and the Bryan brothers, seemingly untouchable, are driving their way towards an eighth Grand Slam title.

Their collective weapons? All Prince. Monfils is using the new EXO³ Rebel 95, $189 USD (one of the Tennisidentity team switched right over after using this stick only one time), Sharapova and the Bryans are using Prince's O3 Speedport Black, $199. This is a new racquet for Maria who previously used the Speedport O3 white.

On-court style: Monfils wears Nike apparel, the Nike Men's Summer Athlete Sleeveless, $55 in electrolime and navy Summer Athlete Short, $45.

Sharapova, also in Nike, has been wearing a special edition dress made just for her. I'm not sure I'd love all that extra fabric anyway.

The Bryan brothers, always adidas. The shirt, adidas' two toned Men's Spring Competition Zip Crew, $43.99 in cyan blue and black, the shorts, Men's Spring Competition 9" short, $35.99.

Find the looks, racquet to shorts at Tennis-Warehouse, Prince, Nike and adidas Tennis .

Editors note: Stay well Maria. It was good to have you back.

Who likes short shorts? We like short shorts. Spotted at a tournament and here on Alona Bondarenko.

 

When it comes to junior tournament play the hands-down outfit of choice among girls is short shorts and a fitted tank. Many manufacturers cut their shorts a little higher on the waist than the girls like so they flip over the waistband and almost everyone has a tag sticking out their back. Kind of funny.

In all honesty low-cut shorts are a better on-court look for most anyone -- they're sleeker and a whole lot hipper than high-risers. Wear them with a longer cut top and you'll have no belly baring problems.

Looking for low cut (not dangerous low but below the navel) proves to be challenging in a sea of shorts but the Dual Knit Sport Shorts by K-Swiss pictured here on Alona Bondarenko ($42 USD) fit the bill. Other performance oriented low cut, short tennis shorts include: adidas Women's Spring Court Short ($29.99), Nike Women's Basic More Power Knit Short ( $45) and Prince Women's Spring Gold Tour Short ($29.99). All have built in compression shorts which make it easy to stow that extra ball when serving. No need to flip over these waistbands girls.

Find the look at Tennis-Warehouse, Nike, adidas Tennis , and K-Swiss.

Image: Getty Images/Clive Brunskill -- Sony Ericsson WTA Tour

adidas Roland Garros Fashion Round-Up. Djokovic, Tsonga, Safina and Verdasco (not yet dressed).

 

  

They are ready! Pictured top left: Novak Djokovic wears the pool Edge Tee ($45 USD), white Edge Bermuda ($50) and blue CC Genius Shoes ($130). Top right: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga wears the same tee as Novak although he plans to wear the pool zip neck Competition Theme polo ($55) in France. His shorts, Competition Bermuda ($50) and shoes, CC Feather ($100).

Bottom left: Dinara Safina  wear a cyan Competition Tank ($45) and white Competition Skort ($45), shoe Barricade V. Bottom right: the buff Fernando Verdasco plans to put on the white Edge tee on the wall ($45) and the black Edge Bermuda ($50), his shoe, the CC Feather ($100). All fabrics are ClimaCool with strategically placed ventilation; ultra buttery awesome adidas.

ShopAdidas or Tennis-Warehouse.

Caroline Wozniacki's Look for the Sony Ericsson Open and Roland Garros.

More blue from adidas and a beautiful blue it is. Caroline Wozniacki turns to a palette of open sky and clouds for the Sony Ericsson Open and Roland Garros. Pictured here Wozniacki wears the same two-piece combo she has been wearing this year but in a refreshed color scheme. The top is the adidas adilibria tank, SRP $45.00 in Cyan, soft ClimaCool fabric with medium impact bra. It has a fitted, layered look up top and a longer length for good tummy coverage on overheads.

The skirt is the low riding adilibria skort, $50 in white, ClimaCool with seamless inner short, 12" length.

Brenda Cooper, Emmy award winning stylist, says that power colors are the more intense hues on the spectrum and when worn in harmony with your skin tone can positively affect how you are perceived. That said, me'thinks this will do well for CW's game.

Buy at adidas Tennis or Tennis Warehouse.

Novak Djokovic's adidas Style Confirmed for Sony Ericsson Open and Roland Garros.

 Novak Djokovic is updating his look for the Sony Ericsson Open and Roland Garros. Like Ana Ivanovic, he's turned to a Miami perfect blue. Pictured here Djokovic wears the adidas Edge polo, $50 USD in pool, black and running white, ClimaCool fabric with full mesh back and sides for optimal cooling and ventilation. The special Djokovic inspired Falcon graphic sits on the back of the left shoulder.

Djokovic's shorts are the10"  Men's Edge Bermuda, $50 in white and phantom. Drawcord waist and side seam pockets.

His shoes are the CC Genius, $130 in pool, black and running white. Low to the ground and well cushioned, carbon composite technology used in lateral strips in the upper give added forefoot support.

Buy at adidas Tennis or Tennis Warehouse.

Ana Ivanovic's adidas Style Confirmed for Sony Ericsson and Roland Garros

 Confirmed for the Sony Ericsson Open, Miami and Roland Garros, Ana Ivanovic will wear the adidas women's adilibria dress, in cyan, SRP $50 USD. This is the same dress Ivanovic has been wearing for a while, asymmetrical v-neck, drop waist, pleats on the shoulder and skirt, ClimaCool fabric -- nice to see the color change though. Blue is a particularly calming color but powerful in its intensity, beautiful in combination with Ana's skin tone.

As noted earlier this year, this dress is best on the truly fit physique sitting right on the hips to fall correctly. You will need to buy shorties.

For footwear Ana will wear the Barricade V, SRP $120.00 in running white, light onix and metallic silver. The shoe is lighter than earlier versions and boasts adiwear, a durable rubber that avoids the early wear-out that is a problem with many soles.

Buy at adidas Tennis or Tennis-Warehouse.

mi adidas are Black, White and Slime. Tsonga's are Black and Neon Yellow. How About Yours?

 Have you seen Tsonga's tennis shoes? He designed them on mi adidas. Previously only available in select adidas Sport Performance stores, mi adidas customization is now online in the U.S. I just cooked up a rad pair of adidas Barricade Vs for myself.

You pick the shoe style and colors for the top, sides, laces, grommets, bars and soles. Everything is custom, down to the shoe size. One foot smaller than the other? Order each of your dogs a different size/width. Toughest part is deciding which of the myriad of color combinations you want. Go wild. I created four designs and then made my choice after looking them over top to bottom with the 360-degree zoom and rotate buttons. You can also have a message printed on the back of each shoe. Mine say FOCUS.

Check it out at mi adidas. Custom Barricade Vs will run you $140 USD; no charge to design. Have fun but my bet is you won't be able to resist the purchase. Very cool.

For info on Tsonga's look above check out our post on Jo-Wilfried.

Fernando Verdasco's Run at the Australian Ends With An Epic Match. His Look and Fitness Program.

 

It was the longest match in Australian Open history and although the win went to Nadal, Fernando Verdasco took his buddy to task today. Pictured above Fernando wears the white version of the olive green and yellow ClimaCool Crew that was his uniform through to the semis, $45. His shorts? adidas men's Edge white 10" Bermudas, $50.

Check out this  footage from adidas' Player Development Program, the company's initiative to enable young athletes to perform at the top of their potential. The program is clearly working for Fernando. Fitness guys, fitness...gotta fit it in.

Get Fernando's look at: adidas Tennis or Tennis-Warehouse.

Now In Flight. Novak Djokovic Launches Signature adidas "Falcon" Line.

  Novak Djokovic today unveiled his signature Falcon line for adidas while playing tennis against an airborne opponent on an aerial court in Melbourne's State Theatre (see image below).  Afterwards he was greeted by a live falcon.

Djokovic will wear his complete new range for the first time at the Australian Open beginning this week. Each piece is adorned with the falcon logo. "I chose the falcon as my signature...as I believe my style of play is just like a falcon hunting. I live for great matchups against strong opponents and this is now reflected in my apparel and footwear on court," he said. 

The Falcon footwear range, the CC Genius, will be available in five colors, one for each of the four Grand Slams and one for the year ending Masters Series Cup. The shoe is priced at $130 USD. The clothing line will have special colors for Melbourne and New York. The white top with olive green stripes ($45) and matching shorts ($50) pictured above will be his day look in Australia. For night, he will wear all black featuring silver stripes to match his specially designed silver CC Genius Falcon shoes.

The apparel line incorporates key adidas technologies, ForMotion and ClimaCool. The CC Genius Falcon shoe offers new SPEEDCUT technology (to give more forefoot support), superior cushioning and ClimaCool aeration. Get Novak's new look at adidas Tennis or Tennis-Warehouse.

 

Images courtesy of adidas.

Caroline Wozniacki's Style Set For the 2009 Australian Open.

 Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki is one to watch in 2009. Last summer the 18 year old grabbed her first WTA title at Stockholm's Nordic Light Open. Pictured here, Wozniacki wears her kit for the 2009 Australian Open. I got to try on both pieces and fell in love. The top is the adidas adlibria tank in neon yellow (MSRP $45 USD). Lightweight and luxurious feeling, the racerback top is cut to feature female specific ventilation -- mesh inserts and ClimaCool fabric offer plenty of breathability. I liked the close fit of this top and the fact that it sits lower than waistline height with a very pretty cut out  in the lower hem.  It was perfect over the low riding adilibria skort (here in cinder beach, MSRP $50) which oozes style with its voluminous pleats. I personally liked the white version as it goes with all the other tops I have.

Like Ana Ivanovic, Wozniacki will wear the Barricade V W (MSRP $120) when she steps onto the Aussie courts come January. All items will be available beginning January 2009. Learn more or shop at Tennis-Warehouse or adidas Tennis

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga's On-Court Look for Australian Open 09.

Not sure if Tsonga had allusions to Muhammed Ali's famous line when selecting his yellow-jacket like kit for the 2009 Australian but man, it looks like it. Pictured here is the Men's Competition Tee in neon yellow with full mesh back, $45.00 USD. This super comfy shirt incorporates ClimaCool and ForMotion technology for unrestricted performance.

The shorts are the Competition Bermuda in black $45.00, same performance technology as the shirt. The pockets are lined with toweling for tending to sweaty hands without going to the towel. On his feet are the legendary Barricade V, $120.00 USD (adidas's #1 selling tennis shoe). All kinds of tech. in these.

Love the look, sharp, strong, very cool. Available in January 2009 at Tennis Warehouse and adidas Tennis.

Man in Black: Novak Exudes Sophistication in Shanghai.

Black and gold head to toe. Nice look. Novak Djokovic has dispensed with the summer's cool toned blues and greens moving to black with an adidas signature Midas touch. Handsome, not too "pretty." This look's a keeper. More on Novak's complete kit later but for now, his feet.

Pictured are Novak's newest shoes, the adidas Limited Edition Barricade V Shanghai, MSRP $120 USD designed to commemorate the 2008 Tennis Masters Cup and its host city (a city in love with Novak by the way) Shanghai, China. Chinese characters adorn the heel and outsole of these flashy tennis treads lending authentic panache to the newest Barricade. Find them or learn more at Tennis-Warehouse or adidas Tennis .

Day 3 Video Highlights and On Court Fashion from Doha

Check out Day 3 tennis and court fashion highlights from Doha. Jelena Jankovic wore Reebok's KFS Shimmer Dress ($49.99) in soft black grey with cool shadow; Svetlana Kuznetsova, Fila's Summer heritage v-neck tank ($39.99) and skort ($36.99) in periwinkle; Venus Williams, eleVen by Venus Williams in a black version of her singles dress (not available at this time); Serena Williams, Nike Women's Winter Court Tank ($60) and Winter Court Skort ($60); Elena Dementieva, a to be released 2009 Yonex dress; and Dinara Safina, the adidas fall competition tank ($37.99) and competition skort ($37.99) in mono pink with white.  All except eleven are available at Tennis-Warehouse. You can find other retailers at Yonex, Reebok, eleVen by Venus Williams, Nike, Fila and adidas Tennis

Read our previous post for more info on watching this tournament.

Clay Courters. Your Shoes Could Make A Difference.

The only way that your tennis equipment can make a difference in your clay court game is on your feet. Most players wear tennis shoes designed for all around play, meaning both hard and clay courts. Surprisingly there are very few clay court specific shoes. We spoke with Thomas Otton, Product Manager at Babolat, on the subject. "Playing on clay requires a better grip than on hard courts, due to a more slippery and movable surface," said Otton. "The specificity of clay court shoes is that they have deeper herringbones in order to increase grip. Hard courts require less grip but more durability, which explains why hard court shoes have thinner herringbones so they wear out more slowly."

Otton explained that the new Babolat Team Clay III shoe (pictured left, the choice of Igor Andreev) takes into account the need for grip with large and deep herringbones on the internal side of the outsole and features thinner herringbones on the medial side of the outsole which is used for sliding. Another nice feature is the clay stopping tongue that prevents little bits of the surface from entering the shoe.The Team Clay III is available in men's sizes only (sorry ladies) and has a $89.00 USD price.

Other clay court specific shoes include the adidas Clima Cool IVY III $75 (pictured right -- to be released in January 09) for women, the adidas Clima Cool Feather IV, $100 for men (also Jan 09, but the CC Feather III is available now) and the Wilson Trance II, $79.00, available now for both men and women.

Hey you've got more than one pair of day shoes in your closet, why settle for just one pair for tennis, especially if one of these specialists could make a difference in your game?

Learn more or buy at Tennis-Warehouse You can also shop at adidas or look for retailers at  Wilson and  Babolat.

Women's Warm Ups for Fall/Winter. Chuck that 80's look.

It's getting chilly; time to build warm-up attire back into our games, at least here in the US. The look of most matching warm up tops and bottoms can be a little 80's high-school track-meet, not something a tennista would feel great in running errands after the game.

In a search of new warm ups that compliment in a more sophisticated sort of way we offer up two hot ones. This first is the slimming Nike Women's Holiday Border Jacket ($65 USD) and Pant ($60) in fashion current mulberry purple and silver.The Holiday Border also comes as a white jacket and charcoal grey pant. Very sharp. The pants are cut low with a wide band, yoga style. Roomy outside ball pocket.

Also pictured is the adidas women's Fall Competition Hoody in vibrant mono pink ($54.99) and Fall Competition pant ($46.99) in white. These pants have more of a traditional athletic look to them, but their styling and slim cut keep the look current -- not puffy. Performance is a given with these brands. Learn more or buy at Tennis Warehouse, Nike or

adidas Tennis

adidas, Swinging Back Into Racquets

Are you old enough to remember adidas racquets? This is a classic shot. Tennis legends Ivan Lendl (pictured) and Ilie Nastase wore the tip to toe adidas package with obvious success but soon after the racquets slipped from the company's line. Well they're back and we're dying to check them out. New for Spring 2009, six new racquets total: four Barricade models, The Response, and the Feather. All are named after benchmark adidas tennis shoes.

The Barricade Tour is designed for the tournament player, the Barricade Tour Light for strong juniors, the Barricade (pictured below), a more forgiving racquet, for the recreational player, and the Barricade junior for budding tennis stars. All Barricades feature adidas' power structure technology to improve torsional stability -- more simply, it adds pop and a larger sweetspot.

The Response offers a combination of power and control for most club players. A higher frame height gives greater power while the stiffness and string pattern bring control. The Feather is the lightest of the new adidas tennis racquet range but with the thickest frame it offers a little extra power for the recreational or older club player seeking an easy to handle racket.

The Barricade range of rackets will be out in the US February 2009 and will retail between $145 and $185 USD. They will be sold through adidas' own retail as well as tennis specialty stores worldwide. We'll keep you posted. 

Lendl image courtesy of the Information Research Center at the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum, Newport, Rhode Island.www.tennisfame.com

Ode to Ana's Sole; the New Limited Edition adidas Barricade V Summer Slam

Using Ana Ivanovic as inspiration, adidas has just released a very feminine version of Ana's footwear choice, the Barricade V. Pictured here is the new limited edition Barricade V Summer Slam. The playful graphic of Ana on the upper (it's pearlized so not visible in the image) highlights Ana's sophistication and graceful elegance on court; the colors reflect the outfit Ana will wear at the US Open.

The Barricade V Summer Slam includes all the performance benefits of the original Barricade V; the difference here is in the Ana inspired cosmetics: the pearlized logo (see it below), the chrome, gloss and sparkle strewn sole.The new Summer Slam retails for $120 USD and is currently only available at the NYC adidas sport performance store, tel. 212-529-0081.

WTA Players Pop in Mono Orange adidas

This top and coordinating skirt from adidas is the recent tournament choice of MANY adidas wearing WTA players. We saw it on three women at the Bank of the West Classic and just recently at Stockholm's Nordic Light Open. We love the melony orange color and the style's simplicity and sleek lines. The wide accents on the v-neck frame the face beautifully -- the key hole opening in back is a fun surprise.

The top is the adidas women's summer competition cap-sleeve top (MSRP $50 USD) and comes in white with mono orange accents, black with white accents and white with black accents. The complimenting skirt, the summer competition, comes in mono orange, white or black ($45). This is a Clima Cool flat front, pull on skort that flatters even with the extra asymmetrical flounce. A pleated hem and strategically placed ventilation are two of of adidas' new for-motion technology innovations.

Get the look at adidas or Tennis-Warehouse.

adidas New Men's Competition Theme Polo with ForMotion Technology. Nice Shirt.

Hey you, adidas loving guys, this is a sharp new shirt. It's adidas' men's competition theme polo although some vendors are calling it a crew. The shirt offers ForMotion technology with strategic seam placement to insure the shirt stays put during play. ClimaCool fabric and mesh paneling just about everywhere important (back, shoulders, neck, sides, underarms...) provides some of the best ventilation we have seen. We love the zip front and navy and rave yellow color scheme pictured here best but you will see it at Wimbledon in white. It also comes with a rave blue and rave yellow base, XS-2XL, suggested retail $55 USD. Get yours at Tennis-Warehouse. They are calling it the adidas Men's Competition 7 Theme Crew.