Novak Djokovic is set to be a vision in blue when he starts the defence of his Australian Open title in Melbourne. The world No 1 will seek to win the first Grand Slam of the year for a remarkable 11th time when he returns to Rod Laver Arena, with a new-look Lacoste kit set to be complemented by a sparking new pair of ASICS shoes.
Lacoste and ASICS have lucrative deals in place with the Serbian superstar and they appear to work together to ensure the two key parts of his on-court look are in tandem. They have done so again for the Australian Open, with blue set to be the colour of choice for the 24-time Grand Slam king to start 2024.
The Lacoste x Novak Djokovic Ultra-Dry Polo Shirt is a pale blue tee-shirt and shorts combination, with a darker version also appearing on the Lacoste website that Djokovic could use for night matches. He is also set to wear a new look blue ASICS Court FF trainer, which has served him so well as he has won a collection of Grand Slam trophies in recent years.
Djokovic plays a big role in the development of the shoes he wears on court, with ASICS using Rene Zandbergen to work with their stable of tennis stars to make sure they are suppling them with the best shoes possible.
Tennis365 spoke to Rene last month, as he revealed how closely he works with Djokovic to ensure the Court FF shoe is the best on the market. “Novak has been very involved since the moment he signed with ASICS,” Zandbergen told us. “The challenge with tennis players is finding space in their schedule to get with them to move from one shoe to the next and convince them it might be better.
“When he signed with us, he started with the Resolution shoe and we thought it would be better for him to be in the Court FF. From that moment four years ago we started working closer together.
“Normally in sports promotion, it is all about getting a big-name and they will help you sell the shoe. Everyone would want to play in Novak’s shoes right?
“Yet in tennis, it is more than that. This is about getting the shoe that the athlete wants and then allowing the public to benefit from their expertise and putting it on sale.”
The in-form Alex de Minaur will be modelling a new ASICS FF3 shoe at the Australian Open, with Zanderberg telling Tennis365 he has high hopes about the company’s latest release.
“The ASICS FF3 are coming out in January and will be used by Alex de Minaur and Belinda Bencic,” he confirmed. “Alex is an all-court player, so he would have different requirements compared to a player like Djokovic. He wants a lightweight and flexible shoe, which is what this new Solution Speed is.
“Compare that to someone like Novak, he wants more support for his specific type of movement on court. Hopefully the Solution Speed FF 3 is a great step up for players of all levels.”
Djokovic spoke about the importance of having the right footwear on court at an ASICS event last year, as he revealed how closely he worked with Zanderberg and ASICS on his footwear.
I have my own shoe that we worked on for the last three years,” confirmed Djokovic. “Rene worked tirelessly with me for this signature shoe to happen with all the ASICS tech team back in Japan.
“We went back and forward and I know I was not easy on the ASICS guys because there was more than a few times that I came up with different models and I didn’t like the small details.
Everything matters about how you feel on a tennis court. Rackets and shoes are the two most important things we have on a tennis court and I’m really pleased with what we have come up with.
“Speaking to other players who are also using this shoe, they say it is the best they have played in so I am grateful to Rene and the team for being patient and getting us to this point.”
Djokovic may model his new look for the first time when he takes part in a charity night at Rod Laver Arena to open the 2024 Australian Open alongside a host of top tennis players and celebrities next Thursday.
