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.
Images: @on_running, On-Running
