Roger Federer is inarguably the most influential athlete when it comes to tennis footwear, as his involvement with the NikeCourt Vapor line has led to 81 percent of Nike’s tennis stars wearing some version of the shoe on tour. Federer’s insight led to the improvement of flexibility and comfort with the NikeCourt Vapor line by mixing running shoe elements with on-court innovation. This ideal started with 2012’s Vapor 9 Tour and has culminated into the upcoming Zoom Vapor Tour X.
“The Vapor 9 was a great shoe from the beginning. Tinker Hatfield did a great job of understanding exactly what I was looking for: a combination of a tennis shoe and a jogging shoe,” Federer said. “The Vapor X is lighter than the 9 and 9.5. It is an evolution, the next generation.”
Federer’s involvement with the line has also led to its crossing over into streetwear relevancy with the numerous Vapor Tour AJ3 selections that have released. Highlighted by a collaboration with atmos, the AJ3 has mimicked two of the most heralded colorways of the Air Jordan 3 as well.
The Zoom Vapor Tour X is more performance geared, as it utilizes a larger and more aggressive foot frame, as well as an updated traction patterns that enhances both the athlete’s containment and stability. Up-and-coming tennis stars like Nick Kyrgios and Madison Keys live by the Vapor line, and will begin sporting the Vapor Tour X in the beginning of the 2018 season. Mark your calendars for December 23rd, when the NikeCourt Vapor X is slated to arrive at Nike.com and select retailers in another Jordan Brand-influenced “Bred” color scheme. Similar to its predecessors, it is likely that special editions of the silhouette will begin to pop up as the model gains traction on the market.
Nike Zoom Vapor Tour X
Release Date: December 23, 2017