Even if you haven’t yet hit the tennis courts in full swing, there are plenty of choices out there if you’re looking for the best tennis shoes once you’re ready to roll. The top tennis shoe brands have come up with really attractive offerings aimed at strengthening their unique brand appeal and strong points.
Tennismarts have done extensive research of the best and the most popular offerings in tennis shoes through a combination of user feedback, online reviews, and expert insights. We have looked at multiple criteria with specifications, comfort, durability, support, and speed being the factors that took priority.
So here are the top 10 tennis shoes we have found in our review, not necessarily in the order of preference.
Asics Gel Resolution 8
The latest release in the popular Gel resolution series, version 8 is quite an upgrade and ticks almost all the boxes that you look for in quality tennis shoes. What makes it special is that it comes with a handy mix of stability and durability without compromising on comfort which is ensured by a solid layer of cushioning.
The shoe has been developed in collaboration with Gael Monfils, quite a hectic mover across the court, and it looks to have fixed the lack of comfort and narrowness of the toe box which came with the Gel Resolution 7 model. It maintains the level of durability of the previous models which is made possible by the synthetic sole wraps around the toe and sides. The 6-month guarantee on the outsole is kind of insurance for players who spend a lot of time on the courts
The improved traction is another attraction and is quite adaptable to all kinds of surfaces, fast or slow. This provides a good balance that players need in terms of grip and slip.
On the weight front, it is a bit heavier than the 7s but that isn’t a hindrance to the movement across the court. The one minor issue we have found is it isn’t that breathable making it slightly unsuitable for players with wide feet.
Highlights: Comfort, Stability, Durability, Traction
Nike Air Zoom Vapor Cage 4
For this top-notch product, Nike has combined the best of its most popular tennis shoes, Vapor and Cage which has produced one of the most stable and supportive shoes in the market. When you consider that this was built for one of the best movers on the tennis court, Rafael Nadal, the end result is bound to be nothing short of inspiring.
In addition, Nike has laid a lot of stress on making it lighter and more flexible which will support a fast-moving game. It has to be said though that the technology improvements to bring benefits in comfort and stability have caused the weight to be slightly more than optimal especially if you’re not as strong and muscular as Nadal. But seeing positive feedback from athletes across different regions of the world, you can rest assured that it isn’t much of an issue and you would get optimal performance armed with the power of Nike Air Zoom Vapor Cage 4 at your feet.
On the whole, if you like to move around the court fast, this would ideally suit you.
Highlights: Comfort, Durability, Stability
Adidas Adizero Ubersonic 3
It is fair to say that any review of top-class sporting gear wouldn’t be complete without Adidas featuring in it and Adizero Ubersonic 3 holds the Adidas flag high with its features.
It is one of the lightest shoes in the market and provides great comfort and fit. The stability and support it gives the vigorous movers is awesome in spite of being really speedy. Testimony to this is the fact that many of the top pros in the circuit adorn this model. If quickness is your primary consideration there isn’t much to beat this model.
The comfort factor stems from the Primeknit material in the uppers which gives a sock-like feeling by wrapping around the feet. In fact, it feels so comfortable around the feet that you would seldom feel like taking it off.
Support and stability are real strengths of Ubersonics with the sense of protection it gives to players even while moving around at great speeds including slides and changes in direction.
The ventilation is quite good as well with no feedback of overheating while put through strenuous workloads. This is an improvement from the previous Ubersonic models and is a welcome change.
Highlights: Comfort, Weight, Stability, Ventilation
New Balance 996 V4
New Balance has been for over 100 years producing tennis shoes of amazing quality and their stated objective is to create products which are a perfect blend of function and fashion. And this model of shoes exemplifies that objective.
This is the 4th iteration of the 996 series and is quite simply the best out of the lot. The comfort, durability, and lightness are at a completely different level.
The brand new Hypokint upper gives stretch and support on this lightweight model. The FuelCell cushioning targets to provide a push forward effect below the feet. Add to this, the traction and durability are taken care of by the prominent outsole. Though it is on the grippier side, it does support well on aggressive slides and moves.
The ultra-cushioned, soft midsole makes it extraordinarily comfortable. The shoe reaches low to the ground and scores on the flexibility front. Though you need to keep in mind that since it is lighter by almost 100 grams from the previous model, it is bound to have a bearing on the lateral stability.
It comes with a 6-month durability guarantee which offsets the concerns aggressive athletes might’ve had given the lightness of the shoe.
Highlights: Weight, Ventilation, Traction
Asics Court FF
When you have someone as competitive and aggressive as Novak Djokovic to give feedback on your product, you cannot ask much more in terms of inputs, right? The model scores heavily on comfort, support, and stability and is among the top-rated shoes within the professional circuit.
What Asics has done is to leverage the positives of Court FF by retaining a lot of the popular elements like the Mono-Sock construction and ultra-responsive FlyteFoam cushioning. The upper has been redesigned to make it more supportive. The new outsole provides much better control while sliding. We could see all around appreciation of the product across regions, especially for the support and comfort features.
The comfort factor increases every time you wear it with the uppers flexing well and the FlyteFoam cushioning giving good responsiveness in addition to the comfort it has, without any performance drop. It becomes apparent why Djokovic was modeled for when you see that its design is made for aggressive sideways movements and sliding.
The weight has become more optimal making it more nimble with the use of Twistruss technology. To sum up, these shoes let you push the boundaries and cover the court with ease and a supreme product to acquire.
Highlights: Support, Stability, Comfort
KSwiss Hypercourt Supreme
Comparatively a lesser player in the arena, KSwiss is known to come up with super quality products and this is no exception.
They have upgraded its most popular series and made it even more fast and smooth for athletes who appreciate speed. The comfort factor is instantly evident as you get into it and that feeling lingers on long after you’ve hit the court due to its generous cushioning. You can say that the upper material is a bit over the top, but in essence, is lighter and flexible than apparent.
The shoe is very responsive, gives lightweight comfort, and is suited for players of all levels. The technology advances in the Hypercourt Supreme include Surge 7.0 for high energy return and lightning speed, Dragguard 7.0 which gives good durability for the outsole and the Durawrap Flex which lends flexible support and protection. Moreover, it has an easy upper bootie construction to give it an optimal fit. The textile collar lining is thrown in for some additional support for the often overworked ankle. With these technological advances, KSwiss has put more emphasis on security and comfort.
A word of caution is that this may not be ideal for people with narrow feet and some could feel that the extra width causes the feet to slide a bit. All in all a quality product from KSwiss.
Highlights: Weight, Support, Stability
Adidas Stycon
Adidads’ Stycon is truly a renegade model for a tennis shoe, the kind of design that has not been seen on a tennis court. The laceless, high collar and tight-fitting bootie combination adds to the intrigue that the shoes present. If you search for the inspiration behind this innovative design, it is probably the high-sliding style of the modern player, especially on hard courts. The rigorous movements of the aggressive athletes causes serious stress and damage on the upper material and laces and Stycon is sort of an antidote for that. The compact upper and the stuffy medial protects the trailing shoe during the heavy sliding.
The absence of lace means that the shoe has to wrap around the front portion for the required stability. The outsole gives good traction and it grips quite well and the mix of Bounce 2.0 with EVA foam provides impressive cushioning. On the challenges, it takes a bit to get familiarised with the unique design and also the absence of laces makes it tough to customise. But once the learning curve is achieved, the kind of stability and support it provides is top class though it has to be said it will take some time before it becomes more prevalent among pros.
Highlights: Support, Stability, Durability
Fila Axilus Energised 2
This is the second generation of the Axilus from Fila and this is sort of a re-entry to the Tennis shoe space after taking a break for a few years. The shoe worn by all the players who have Fila sponsorship has a really good versatile design. The durability is a high-point which Fila flaunts confidently with a 6-month outsole guarantee. Add to it, it quite lightweight as well as breathable which makes it a good combination.
The energized cushions, which lends the model its name, make it very comfortable in the heel as well as the toe area though it doesn’t really give that plush feel. It is definitely more suited to players with wider feet and those with narrow feet may have to add an extra sock or tighten the laces to feel fit. The synthetic upper is quite flexible with a good mesh which makes the shoe easy to get used to. The traction is quite good as well though not the grippiest of shoes going around. It does give a low-ground feel enabling easy changes in direction and is quite speedy across the court. All in all an attractive release from Fila.
Highlights: Weight, Durability, Traction
New Balance Lav Fresh Foam
New Balance co-designed this shoe with the sturdy Milos Raonic and has produced another classic in its long list of impressive sports footwear. They have brought together the application of technology in multiple sport disciplines into this shoe. The Fresh Foam cushioning technology is built specifically for Tennis which lends all the support and cushioning top-flight players need. And it is quite lightweight to boot and so feels more like a running shoe.
It definitely scores on the durability factor and comes with a 6-month outsole guarantee. Like Fila, this is ideal for athletes with wider feet but very flexible all the same which can be attributed to all the mesh in the uppers as well as the ring on the heels. There is a bit of a break-in period due to the upper material which can feel a bit low and tight. Support and stability is another highpoint of the shoe which is facilitated by the unique knit structure in the uppers. The traction is quite good as well with very controlled starts and stops. The ventilation is pretty decent which adds to the attraction. This one ticks all the boxes for a high-performance tennis shoe.
Highlights: Comfort, Traction, Stability
Babolat Jet Mach2
The prime attraction of the Babolat Jet mach2 is its lightweight nature. It certainly is one of the lightest shoes going around and the quick movers would find it right down their alley as it feels quite natural on the feet. The risk of reduced stability due to the lightweight seems mitigated by the strong uppers of shank and kevlar polyamide and so have received high ratings on the stability front from a wide range of athletes. The midsoles give a really good responsive feeling. The reworked upper gives it a firm hold without losing the flexibility for quick movements.
Highlights: Weight, Traction, Comfort
So there you have it, our recommendation for the best tennis shoes available in the market.
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