Nike Tennis is perplexing these days.
To begin with, fans have been waiting for Carlos Alcaraz‘s long-awaited custom logo. Rumor had it that we would see the big reveal at the ATP Finals. It hasn’t happened yet.
Jannik Sinner’s kit is not unique either.
I am old enough to remember the amount of marketing and effort that Nike exuded for Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, and Maria Sharapova.
History is not repeating itself evidenced by Aryna Sabalenka’s recent comments.
What Aryna Sabalenka Said About Her 2026 Nike Kits
Despite being World No. 1, Sabalenka indicated that her 2026 Nike kits will not be custom.
Surely Nike is joking?!?
Sabalenka says her Nike kits in 2026 won’t be special for her…No customs…She will have to wait for 2027???? She jokes saying ” let’s start sending some messages to Nike to put some pressure” 😭😭😭😭 @Nike please. pic.twitter.com/qYNMaoDyHJ— Liviefromparis 🇫🇷🤸🏼♀️🎾 (@Livieparis2024) November 11, 2025
The only female player that has a custom Nike kit right now is Naomi Osaka. She is a four-time Grand Slam champion so it is merited, but Sabalenka is a three-time Grand Slam champion so she has earned her own also.
Naomi Osaka.
Welcome back! pic.twitter.com/UbauMe3BvB
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) September 4, 2025
Nike Tennis Is Losing Ground
Maybe it is a conscious decision, but Nike Tennis is falling behind its counterparts. Three of the top eight women (Sabalenka, Madison Keys, and Amanda Anisimova) and first alternate Mirra Andreeva wore Nike at the 2025 WTA Finals. It seems like a more concerted effort to design for them should be considered. The brand does seem to be doing some work for emerging Filipina star Alexandra Eala.
Adidas is surging as well as other tennis brands like Wilson and Yonex which are more synonymous with racquet design that were not on the apparel map a decade ago.
On the men’s side, top players have left Nike in the past couple of years. They include Jack Draper (Vuori), Taylor Fritz (Boss), and Frances Tiafoe (Lululemon). Holger Rune is presumably staying put with Nike, but the top next generation players, Jakub Mensik (Adidas), Joao Fonseca (On), and Learner Tien (Adidas) chose different brands at the onset of their careers.
