tennisidentity.com

Wilson's Spring/Summer 2011 Apparel Line Hits the Runway.

The U.S. Open provided the perfect backdrop for the introduction of Wilson’s new 2011 Spring and Summer line of apparel and footwear at the W Hotel New York last week. The collection, for both men and women, is full of color, graphics, and geometric details giving a fresh and exciting burst of energy to every piece.

“Inspired by fashion trends, innovative materials and smart design, the 2011 collection represents a comprehensive offering with pieces that are created for high end performance. We have combined visual energy and dynamic color with intrinsic technical features that ensure our products look great and are truly made to move on the court," said Claire Ortiz, Director of Apparel and Footwear for Wilson.

I'll be on the look out for who's wearing what come January. The new line ships worldwide January 2011.

WTA and ATP pros currently wearing Wilson include: Taylor Dent, Anne Keothavong, Jarkko Nieminen and Marta Domachowska. Mandy Minella wore the currently available  (and great looking) Tea Lawn Dress at the US Open vs. Venus Williams.

Roger Federer as Shrink. Touch, Feel and the Wilson BLX.

As we build towards Wimbledon tennis racquet makers continue to up the attention to their lines and stars. Next in the line-up, Roger Federer and the Wilson BLX, in the "Feel More" campaign by Wilson. "The first step to getting better feel is admitting you need better feel" say the print ads.

Check out the couch. I hear we will be seeing more of this awesome settee (said to symbolize the psychology of our very heady game). Enjoy.

 

Blue Rendezvous. Roger Federer's 2010 Australian Open Style from Nike.

 
If you're in need of a a little mid-winter escape, take a gander at Roger Federer's tennis fashion for the Australian Open 2010. Blue on blue meets white here and makes me think of the Greek islands -- definitely warm weather colors that are so "easy-pleasey" to these grey weary eyes.

 Federer wears the Nike All-Court Men's Tennis Polo, $80 in Marina Blue and the traditionally tailored looking All Court Men's Woven Tennis Shorts, $60. His tennis shoes are the Nike Lunar Vapor Tour, $120. The shirt, which has a subtle striped pattern woven within the blue, has the little RF symbol under the placket -- yes, they've finally added it for us average Joes! Also now available, is the All Court Men's Tennis Jacket (pictured right), $120, a beauty zip-up warm up, also RF emblazoned. This jacket will look good with anything...go for it.

Roger had a great 2009...there's a lot of discussion regarding 2010. As always time will tell.

Federer plays with the Wilson Six.One Tour BLX. Register to win one here.

Find Federer's looks at Nike and Tennis-Warehouse.

Psst. Win the 2010 Wilson BLX Tennis Racquet of Your Choice. Pass it Along.

 In honor of Justine Henin's return to the courts  and the start of the new tennis season, Wilson Tennis is offering you, dear Tennisidentity reader, the chance to win the new BLX racquet of your choice, a $220-280 USD value.

Pictured here Henin is playing with the new Wilson Tour BLX. This is an upgrade of her old frame, redefined with an improved level of feel thanks to new BLX technology. The BL stands for basalt which is combined to 9 other variables and in total 10 (X) elements are connected for enhanced feel. There's lots more BLX info here on Tennisidentity and on the Wilson site.

Other top ranked Wilson BLX users include: Roger Federer who uses the Six.One Tour BLX and Juan Martin Del Potro, the Pro Tour BLX.

Here's how to enter: Leave a comment below! Let us know which racquet you'd like to see in your hands! RT the post on Twitter for a second eligible entry.

We will give away two new BLX racquets total. Deadline to enter is January 31, 2010 6 pm EST. Please be so kind and...pass it along ;) Good luck. Your chances are better than any scratch card. 

  Click on the racquet for a larger image.
 
  

Wilson Tennis Announces New 2010 BLX Racquet Technology.

Wilson has just announced its newest racquet technology, BLX. Roger Federer will debut BLX with the Six One Tour BLX in Abu Dhabi January 1 (pictured, $230 USD). Juan Martin del Potro will use the Pro Tour BLX ($210).

Both player's new racquets are considered "low power" which means you have to generate your own like Fed and del P do. If you seek power for your game you may want to check out the more lightweight Cirrus One BLX ($300) or one of the others noted as medium power. There are fourteen new racquets in the group each a little different to accommodate player needs.

So what's BLX? The new racquet is engineered with basalt fibers combined with proprietary frame, grommet and grip technologies. Basalt is a natural volcanic rock that can be used in manufacturing and made into ultrafine gold fibers. Basalt fibers are woven longitudinally with Wilson exclusive [K]arophite Black to create a very advanced composite. Like noise-canceling headphones that filter out unwanted external noise, basalt added to the matrix of the frame knocks ou unwanted extreme frequencies in the racquet. BLX, the new Wilson racquet technology delivers a cleaner feedback and better sensation.  (BL) stands for basalt which is combined to 9 other variables and in total, 10 (X) elements are all connected together for what Wilson calls "PERFECT FEEL."

Visit Wilson to see all the specs or test drive at Tennis-Warehouse soon. Looking forward to a test drive myself.

Stay tuned for a great promo coming up in January! Be sure to follow Tennisidentity.com on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS so you don't miss it.

Wilson Tennis Overhauls Men's and Women's Apparel Line for 2010.

Wilson tennis has a new designer and apparel line. Claire Ortiz, Global Apparel Director, comes from Nike having formerly worked in tennis apparel and on the Air Jordan Line. The new collection represents the collaboration of Ortiz with Wilson designers who also bring years of experience with their past employers Nike and adidas. 

 

Providing new sourcing knowledge to the group is Andrew Vetterlein, another Nike vet, now Global Director of Sourcing for all of AmerSports (Wilson, Atomic, Salomon).

What has resulted is compelling, comfortable tennis apparel with built in top-of-the-line technology. Nano Tech wicks moisture and dries quickly. SMART design ensures comfortable performance with light fabrics and mostly seamless construction. Some of the line is made with bamboo or recycled polys and wovens. Good for the earth. 

I really liked the look of just about all of it and am eager to court test. The apparel has a cool factor it hasn't in the past.  All in all this is a big step forward for a company that has a huge presence in racquets and wants the same in apparel. I smell competition.

Pictured above is the new men's Federation Square polo in Champions Gold  with Black, $48 USD. High breathability mesh is woven right in for chafe free performance. It is paired with the Woven Federation Square Short, 9" inseam,  in black with accents of white and champions gold, $45. Both wick moisture and have anti microbial properties.

.

Above bottom is some of the upcoming women's line, left, the Spring Yarra dress, $65 in oceania and tasman teal and, right, the Tea Lawn Dress, $65 in white with union gold. The Tea Lawn will be out for summer 2010. Yarra will be out in February 2010.The dresses have great bras built in. Really. High performance with power mesh at the t-zone.

Each men's and women's collection has a core group of basics and a more seasonal fashion collection. I'll showcase more as they roll out.

Spring 2010 debuts in stores February.

Find a retailer at Wilson or buy at Tennis-Warehouse.

Wearing new Nike Holiday, Serena Williams tops the 2009 WTA charts.

Serena Williams recently claimed the prestigious 2009 end-of-year Sony Ericsson Championship title. She ends the year as the world's number 1 female tennis player, both on-court and at the bank. In 2009 she earned $6.5 million in prize money (the largest amount ever earned by a female player in one season).

What she wore to end her big year? New Nike Holiday. The two piece set was a fall nuts and berries color scheme if you will-- like Rafa she always looks fab in big color. The red is not as orange as it appears in the image, it's more true and warm; the draped, wrapped fabric works to nicely soften her muscular frame. 

Details:Top, the Nike Women's Holiday Master Athlete Tank, $65 and bottom, Master Athlete Skort, $65, light hot red with mahogany. The top has a built in light support bra with a length that gives good tummy coverage. All Dri-Fit, UV protective fabric. Other pieces I like in this group are the Holiday 3/4 Sleeve Top also in Mahogany (it's got some nice feminine styling to it), $65 and the Holiday Athlete Tank, $60. 

The new colors go with the Nike Air Max Mirabella with Hot Red, $82.

Serena's weapon of choice? The Wilson [K] Blade Team, strung with Wilson Gut. She carries the Wilson Grand Slam Bag.

BTW guys, there is some great new Nike winter gear for men in the same mahogany brown. I've seen it on Roger Federer. Ladies if you like polos, get this in a small size and pair it with a pleated white skirt. Cute in a very preppy way.

For more info on Serena's big year visit the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour site.

Look to Nike, Wilson and Tennis-Warehouse for more information.

Tennis players, think pink and support breast cancer research.

    
 
 
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and sadly most of us know at least one woman who has been touched by the disease. Athletes everywhere are supporting the cause. Did you see the pink cleats hitting the NFL turf this month? Tennis players you can help researchers find a cure too.

There are a myriad of pink breast cancer awareness items out there. I like the ones that actually give a portion or all profits to support the cure. These items fit the bill. Left to right: hot pink Prince Lighting XX string, $5.50; New Balance  tank, $37.99 and skort, $41.99 (from the Lace Up for a Cure Collection); Wilson 3 pack racquet bag, $27.95; Soar for the Cure tee, $20; New Balance Motion Jacket, $50.

Pink is a hot and much loved color on court. Make it work for others too. Find these items and more at: Tennis-Warehouse, Shop Komen.com and tennis retailers.

Tennisidentity.com has made a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of tennis friends who have battled or are battling breast cancer.

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 .

Ten minutes with Todd Martin.

I recently had a chance to catch-up with Todd Martin at the Hall of Fame Champions Cup in Newport. After a stellar career on the Tour (13 titles and a career high of 4 in 1999) Martin continues to build high-caliber competive tennis into his personal schedule.

What's the biggest change you've seen in the game over the years? "Poly-based string. It makes the ball easier to spin and the combination of an uptick in pace and spin is a big factor now. In addition, the guys at the top of the game are some of  the best athletes in the world, so explosive and agile. The nature of the game is much more physical than it was ten years ago. Skill could make up for a lot before."

Your favorite surface? "European red clay."

Favorite tennis venue? "The Real Club in Barcelona and Roland Garros. That week before Roland Garros starts is just perfect, I could play there for weeks on end."

His gear? Grip, racquet, string, all Wilson. "I've been playing with Wilson since I was a boy and the racquet I use on tour with Champions is a version of one I've always used. It's loaded with subtle tweaks and is very heavy everywhere. It's custom for me; you wouldn't be able to find it anywhere."

 His apparel? Balle de Match and shoes, custom Nike's for grass.

How much do you hit these days and how do you train for Champions Series matches? "I play at least a couple of times a week. Tennis comes naturally to me at this point but I do need to work on my fitness and I mix it up with swimming, gym work, yoga, the medicine ball. The trend now is really in training the body universally for the game."

Image: Philip J. Picott -- MDS

Nike's angels. Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams at Wimbledon 2009.

There's a whole lot of tailored going on at Nike tennis these days, at least when it comes to outerwear.  I'm talking specifically about Sharapova's Wimbledon jacket and S. Williams' coat. Stepping on court both women are buttoned up in fashionably constructed military and business classics.You saw Federer's jacket too.

The jackets however cover two different fit-for-angels tennis dresses. Not an epaulet or stiff detail in sight. Nice contrast.

According to Nike, Maria worked alongside the development team to come up with this dress that combines aesthetic appeal and performance. It certainly is a lot less fussy than her dress in Paris.

Different textures and inset shapes combine to create volume at the bottom of the dress, which enables better motion and easier leg movement. No-sew construction of the shorts and back of the dress reduces friction against the skin and eliminates excess fabric and bulk. It looks comfortable and has some great back detailing.

 Maria’s warm-up jacket is a structured Old World Russia military style providing a striking counter-balance to the free form of the dress.

No word yet on whether or not these pieces will be at retail. It is doubtful based on Nike's track record with Maria-style this year.

Serena's trench coat is a showpiece. This season Nike re-masters it with a nod to a traditional English Macintosh. The detailing includes a double breasted lapel front and English Mac-inspired gun flaps at back which release heat while she warms up.

 The trench is customizable and the bottom skirt can be removed. Serena will wear it two different ways, with an elongated handkerchief hem to conceal her dress underneath, and also as a cropped length biker-style silhouette. She will wear this while walking on and off of the court, as well as for her pre-match warm-up. Hugely doubtful this will be available at retail but it's cool.

Serena’s dress, on the other hand, is about soft tailoring. The beauty is in the simplicity, but viewed up close it has extreme attention to detail. There are saddle stitched seams strategically placed throughout to ensure a great fit. A drop waist elongates the torso, and the bottom hem features a small bustle with mesh box pleats at the back of the dress.

I personally love white on the tennis court and often think that simpler is better when it comes to fashion.

Editor's after-note: Confirmed. Serena's dress is the Athlete Court Dress, $100 available soon at Nike and Tennis-Warehouse. Her coat, Maria's jacket and Maria's dress, just for them.

New Wilson Tennis Apparel in Performance Fabric x Three.

 

Wilson's on-court spring apparel group incorporates some of the best fabric technology on the market. The three key features: nanoUV which provides built in UV-A and UV-B protection (30+), nanoWIK for breathability, moisture management and quick dry technology, and nanoBAN for integrated odor management through anti-microbial protection. Odor cannot form and build as it does in traditional performance fabrics. Who hasn't thrown something out that's not worn out but simply stinks too much to wear any longer?

Highlights: The women's scoop neck spring slice tank (top right) is a beautiful turquoise with black accents at the bust and across the back, $45 USD -- very slimming when combined with the spring asymmetrical skort (not pictured), $40.00.

The men's collection uses handsome reds combined with crisp white in polos and crews to suit your on-court persona. Pictured top left is a team favorite, super lightweight, lined 9" hard court shorts in white, $40 and the close fitting chili pepper red crew, $40. Mesh panels on both pieces insure optimal ventilation.

New Wilson footwear includes the Tour Spin in versions for men and women. These shoes are lightweight and low to the ground with out of the box comfort. The width will accomodate a wider foot. These are heat management maximized with fabric mesh uppers and nanoWik linings, $99. If your feet get hot when you play, these are for you. Not super snazz like some of the multi-colored shoes out there but classic and comfortable with all the tech built in. The men's pair has some cool-making accents of green in the sole. The women's line offers pink. Priced around $99.

Learn more or buy at Wilson or Tennis-Warehouse. The Wilson site has a helpful size chart and dealer locator.as well.

The calm before the storm. Roger Federer waits in style.

 

Roger Federer waits to play Robin Söderling, who's homeland equates his Roland Garros performance with "dunder och bråk," thunder and lightening. Söderling certainly has a wilder on-court style than the Fed who's look always reflects the calm and precision that is his very intelligent game. Time will tell. Another storm ahead Sunday.

Pictured here, Federer wears the Nike Summer Classic Open Polo, $65 in sterling blue with classic charcoal and accents of team orange. The shirt has a subtle tonal herringbone woven into the body-mapped dri-fit. The shorts are the Summer Woven Short, $45 in classic charcoal, more of a traditional cut short with zip fly and hook closure but all performance. Swoosh bandana, $8.

If you are looking for the jacket Federer has been wearing in Paris, the stunner white one with the RF logo and accents of orange and blue, alas it belongs only to the court's prince. It is a beauty and if it does become available, you my friends will be the first to know.

His new Grand Slam Champions Bag champions bag is available however. The six-pack bag is adorned with the country flags of all of the Grand Slams. The bag offers thermoguard and moisture control protection, and pockets lined with gold for better visibility inside. This is a great feature as little stuff can really can be hard to find in those deep dark pockets, $80 USD.

Roger's stick? Wilson [K]Six-One Tour strung with Wilson natural gut and Luxilon big banger. Find it all at Tennis-Warehouse or visit Wilson and Nike.

Image: Getty Images Sport/Ryan Pierse

Agnes Szavay steps out strong in dynamic new style from Fila.

Agi Szavay stepped out and through Venus Williams at Roland Garros today wearing a sleek new Center Court Dress, $53 USD, from Fila's new Center Court Collection.

The top to bottom asymmetrical lines of pink and white mimic Szavay's dynamic play. The fabric is all performance with mesh inserts down the sides for ventilation. The bra is built in. Delicate (very un-Vegas) gold inserts add glamour to the simple A-line tank style. You can't see the gold here but it's over the shoulder, a very subtle yet elegant touch.

The new women's collection is rounded out with a range of versatile pieces such as a pull on skort with the gold shimmer detailing, sleeveless polo, cami tank, scoop tank and v-neck cap sleeve top. The v-neck and cami tank are super cute.

Get Agi's look at Fila and Tennis-Warehouse.

New 2009 tennis backpacks. Something for every tennis identity.

 

 

If you travel to the courts via foot, subway or bike, less is definitely more. Even though most racquet bags come with backpack straps, these smaller back packs fit the bill during those times when you just don't want any extra bulk.

Top left the Wilson KTour back pack, holds two racquets with padding around them, has a separate compartent for shoes and is made without PVC (an environmentally friendly effort), $39.95;  top right, the KSwiss Ibiza Tennis Backpack in Navy -- retro-ish and fitting in an all tennis-whites setting, for one-racquet, $39.99. Bottom left the groovy "Tell it to my Heart" Whak Sak, black with rhinestones, holds a tennista's two racquets and essentials. The insulated drink holder keeps a beverage cold and handy, $79.99; Bottom right: the Babolat Classic Club Line Back Pack, $24.95 (has a racquet handle cover -- added value for transit in the rain). Some of Rafa's entourage have been spotted wearing this bag. 

Not pictured: the new Babolat Team Line back pack, $44.95, matches the new Pure Drive racquet. HEAD also makes a sharp looking Djokovic series back pack to go with his new stick, $59.95. 

Find these back-packs and a myriad of others to suit your court identity at Tennis-Warehouse Visit  Whaksak Babolat, Wilson and K-Swiss for other retailers.

Juan Martin Del Potro. The Gear That Powers His Game.

 

Juan Martin Del Potro rocked Miami by denying world #1 Rafael Nadal the chance at his first Sony Ericsson title. The shorn and sleeveless Argentine is a hot one to watch in 2009. Just last year he rose from top 40 to top 10. The guy's got game (and lots more..those eyes for ex.).

Del Potro plays with the Wilson [K} Six One 95 racquet, $200 USD.  He recently signed a long-term contract with the brand so expect to see him stocked in Wilson from strings to bags for a good long time.

Del Potro's look at the Sony Ericsson includes the Nike Summer Athlete Sleeveless in mint green with classic charcoal and white, $55 and Nike men's summer athlete shorts, 21" in dark obsidian (navy), $45. Bandanna style headband in navy. Nice to see someone still working the exposed biceps.

Find a racquet retailer at Wilson or buy Del Potro's gear at Tennis Warehouse.

Mardy Fish and Tommy Haas Get Traction in New K-Swiss.

 Mardy Fish and Tommy Haas have been sporting the new K-Swiss men's line since the Australian. Pictured here Fish wears the Sublimated Crew in olympian blue and navy, my favorite of the four versions of this crew neck top with super sized K-Swiss stripes. Haas has worn the white version with olympian blue. Strategically placed mesh inserts, moisture wicking fabric and chafe free seams make this a truly comfortable performance piece, $55 USD.

 Both guys wear the Accomplish Knit Short, $35,  9" inseam and drawstring elastic waist. Piping down the sides adds subtle decoration. The headband is the old stretch classic, $5. 

Watch the courts also for the clean and unfussy looking Topstich Polo, $55, which comes in four solid colors with same color top-stitched stripes. It's a much more subtle, tailored look for the player who prefers more refined style. Mardy wore the white on white and blue on blue versions during his great run at the SAP Open.  The traction? It's in that tire-track"ish" design, the Ascendor shoes ($100 on Fish) as well as the Glaciator, $95 on Haas. Add a little 'tude and you've got it.

Learn more or buy at K-Swiss or Tennis-Warehouse.

Wilson Launches New Visible FX Technology. Enter to Win a FX Racquet of Your Choice.

 

Wilson has just introduced its 2009 [K] Factor line of racquet frames incorporating cool, new generation technology, called FX. FX means [K] Factors multiplied. The new line utilizes a Quad Shaft construction in the throat area of the racquet, four shafts vs. the traditional two, translating to more stability so better control over your shots. Four key technologies are also incorporated, [K]arophite Black, [K]onnector, [K]ontour Yoke and [K]ompact center which contribute to improved feel, strength and stability. The racquets all offer a bigger than traditional sweet spot.

Seven new models get the new technology: [K] One.FX, [K] Three.FX, [K] Four.FX, [K] Zen Team.FX, [K]obra Team.FX (pictured), [K] Pro Team. FX and K Tour Team.FX. The [K}obra Tour and [K]obra Team FX are player's frames.The others fall into the game improvement category with varying head sizes and weights. The throat of these racquets is very unique looking with a vertical hole in each side allowing for the four shafts. Learn and see more at Wilson or test drive at Tennis-Warehouse. No Wilson sponsored tour pros are currently using these models just yet. List prices range between $180 - $300 USD.

Enter to win a free FX racquet of your choice by going to Wilson/FX, watching the quick video and then registering at the end where prompted. You must watch the video to enter. They are giving away one racquet a month. Good luck.

Anna Chakvetadze To Carry Wilson and Wear Fila in Australia and Beyond.

Twenty-one year old Anna Chakvetadze, ranked 18 on the Sony Ericsson WTA tour at the end of 2008, has just signed a long term agreement with Wilson. Anna will debut her Wilson [K] Blade Team Racquet and Eco Pro Tour Super Six bag at the Australian Open.

The Russian beauty has also recently signed an apparel endorsement agreement with Fila and will step out in Melbourne wearing the new Fila Spring 2009 Baseline Apparel Collection. More to come on that line which I got to preview in November...

Look for Anna's gear soon at Wilson, Fila and Tennis-Warehouse.

Image courtesy of Wilson.

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.

Wilson Launches Innovative Apparel Line Incorporating a Little "Green."

Wilson has revamped its clothing line to offer updated style with innovation in sun protection (nanoUV), moisture manage- ment (nanoWIK) and anti-microbial odor protection (nanoBAN).

The new line will also incorporate body mapping that blends performance fabrics allowing for hot spot cooling without seams.

"Green" players -- select pieces will integrate bamboo, one of the most eco-friendly and sustainable materials on the planet. Bamboo's eco-positive properties provide the ultimate in performance based on nature's own technology. It feels good too.

The new lines, available for adults and children, will be out Spring 2009. We'll keep you posted.

There's a New Bag in Town and the Wilson Players Among Us Want it Bad

Roger's got a brand new bag and we like it a lot. Wilson players this is the new limited edition super six pack you saw Federer carrying at Wimbledon and that you'll see with him through the 2008 US Open. The bag has Thermoguard and Moistureguard compartments which are great on and off court in the summer's heat; your hot car is no longer the enemy. The Swiss flag motif bag sports an embroidered Federer autograph while offering your precious sticks and string jobs terrific protection (as well as ample room to store essentials). MSRP $120.00. Visit Wilson to find a retailer near you or buy now at Tennis-Warehouse.

Williams and Wilson Win Big with K Factor

Wilson players dominated Wimbledon with eleven players in the finals capturing six out of nine titles (including juniors). All held [K] Factor racquets.

Venus and Serena both played with [K] Blade Team Racquets during their singles and doubles matches. Roger Federer played with the [K] Six.One Tour.

As we noted in our OntheBaseline article on beginning tennis gear, these are not the exact racquets that all player levels should use. Check out the whole line at Wilson because there is a version that will match your level of play. Tennis-Warehouse also carries and demos all [K] Factor sticks. Give one a test drive and see for yourself if it will bring your game a step closer to Champion.

Serena's Power Choice at Wimbledon

Serena's Wimbledon choice looked sharp and flattered her strong physique. The top is the Nike Women's NYC Court Tank, MSRP, $55 USD. The little mesh insert in the scoop neck top is a great feminine touch. There is a support bra built in and mesh ventilation in back. The 13.5" skort is the zip back Nike Women's NYC Court Skort, $55. It is also available in black. The pleats are overlayed on a woven, stretch skirt. Shorties are built in. Both top and bottom are made of Dri-Fit performance fabric and move and breathe beautifully. Very nice.

Learn more or get yours now at Nike or Tennis-Warehouse.

Roger's Style at Wimbledon

We've seen Roger in action recently wearing the Nike London Men's Polo Shirt, $65 USD paired with the Control Men's Tennis Short, MSRP $45 USD. The gold accented version of the shirt is only available to Roger. He has also teamed the 9" shorts with the uncollared, Men's Fall Control UV crew $45. His current sneaker of choice is the Nike Air Zoom Vapor V, $115.

As you can see from the blended images here, the man's Wimbledon style hasn't changed much over the years (ok, he has cut his hair). The performance built into his clothing has however. All of Roger's new pieces offer a classic look for the tennis purist who doesn't want to miss out on the benefits of the newest performance technology. No word yet on when/if the new gold trimmed RF sweater and white slacks will be available. We'll let you know. For now, look for most of Roger Federer's choices and learn more at Nike or at Tennis-Warehouse. P.S. -- There is a funny, very un-Roger Bond-like video on the Nike site, here.