Shortly before making his professional return after a 13-month hiatus (and with a win over Dan Evans at that), Roger Federer and On introduced THE ROGER Pro signature shoe.
Touted as the Swiss company’s first performance-tennis option, THE ROGER Pro marks the first on-court shoe designed by Federer since he left NIKE, Inc. in 2018. Throughout his 24-year-spanning partnership with the North American sportswear giant, the now-39-year-old had a handful of tennis shoes inspired by both the Nike Air Max 95 and Air Jordan 3. His new proposition with On doesn’t reinvent the look of made-for-grass (or clay) footwear, but it tackles energy return, impact absorption and durability in a new way.
As with its near-ubiquitous-in-major-cities running sneakers, the Swiss manufacturer’s latest model began with a conscious effort to explore sensation. Federer’s feet were scanned with 3D-technology to deliver a detailed look at their anatomy. Tennis’ heavy reliance on lateral movement led the On Lab team to produce a high-density, high-performance foam for the midsole, while coupling it with tooling with reliable stability and traction. On’s tried-and-proven Speedboard® carbon fiber plate enables high-performance impact absorption and energy return. Elsewhere, the sparsely-branded engineered mesh upper delivers breathability and abrasion-resistance for long, high-intensity sets.
Enjoy campaign imagery of THE ROGER Pro here below. Given that the shoes are still being informed by feedback gathered throughout Federer’s return to the tour, they’re currently a one-of-one. On, however, may release the model to the public in the future, with improved design choices.
For more footwear originally produced for tennis, check out the latest from the adidas Rod Laver.
ROGER FEDERER’S THE ROGER PRO BY ON TO DROP EXCLUSIVELY AT KITH
Fresh off a (“lucky,” to some) win over Adrian Mannarino, Roger Federer and his On family have announced release details for THE ROGER Pro, the Swiss duo’s first performance-tennis option.
Teased in early March, the upcoming shoe marks the start of Federer’s new signature sneaker line since leaving NIKE, Inc. in June 2018. The 39-year-old has been testing out prototypes of the sleek, innovative tennis silhouette for the past three months, but is now ready to share the final iteration of THE ROGER Pro with the public. On this front, Federer and On had entrusted the Ronnie Fieg-led KITH to handle the shoe’s global release tomorrow, June 30th. As the exclusive stockist of the Speedboard® carbon fiber plate-equipped model, KITH is likely to have a collaborative capsule in the works. To start, however, Fieg’s brand will ensure the Swiss-engineered performance sneaker arrives to customers in New York, Paris, Tokyo and everywhere else it’s established a physical and digital presence.
Enjoy detailed imagery of THE ROGER Pro’s debut colorway here below, and head over to Kith.com tomorrow, June 30th, at 10am EST for a chance at a pair.
Elsewhere in the performance-focused sneaker space, the Nike MetCon 7 has recently been revealed.
